View Articles

New York: Lives can be saved and the destruction of property minimized when natural disasters strike if governments invest adequate resources in disaster risk reduction measures, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said.

In the face of strong headwinds, the Albanian economy has weathered the global crisis fairly well so far. Despite severe economic downturns and confidence shocks in much of Europe and other advanced economies, and associated drops in Albanian exports and remittances, Albanian GDP is estimated to have registered some 3 percent growth in 2009. Moreover, confidence in the financial sector has returned, as evidenced by the resumption of deposit growth. Meanwhile inflation expectations have remained well-contained and both remittances and exports begun to recover.

New York: The progress made over the past decade in lifting the world's most vulnerable nations out of poverty has been undermined since the global recession began, according to a senior United Nations official, who urged rich countries not to renege on their commitments to support the poorest of the poor.

New York: The United Nations-supported diplomatic group promoting peace in the Middle East has called on the Israeli and Palestinian sides to resume negotiations as soon as possible with the aim of reaching a settlement within two years.

Director-General of WTO, Pascal Lamy, in his speech during the 20th anniversary celebration of Costa Rica's participation in the multilateral trading system on 18 March 2010 in San José, said that “the Doha Round is not an island in a sea of alternative opportunities — failure on Doha would spill over into other present and future cooperation efforts, and not only in the trade policy domain. In our joined-up world, countries simply cannot go their own way and disregard the costs of neglecting international cooperation.”

The Ugandan economy is at an important juncture. Cautious macroeconomic management has spared Uganda from the worst effects of the global financial crisis, but persistent structural rigidities-including pervasive weaknesses in public financial administration—have constrained efforts to raise investment and growth. Looking forward, the prospect of substantial petroleum revenue offers a unique opportunity to raise growth and eliminate poverty, but it also poses important challenges for Ugandan policymakers.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Transport Institute (KOTI) to focus on low-carbon green growth in the transport sector.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - One of the first international meetings to focus on climate finance since the Copenhagen summit last December ended with plans in place to mobilize some US$40 billion for country-led low carbon growth.

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved a World Bank assisted Centrally Sponsored Scheme viz. 'India Statistical Strengthening Project (ISSP)' with a view to improve the State Statistical Systems, as an important means to strengthen and improve the National Statistical System in all its dimensions in line with the recommendations of the National Statistical Commission (NSC).

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the following modifications in the existing scheme “Support to State Extension Programs for Extension Reform” for implementation in all rural districts of the country during the remaining period of XI Five Year Plan: