Investigating the Empirical Relationship Between Millennium Challenge Corporation Aid Eligibility Criteria and Development Outcomes PDF Download

Author: Daniel Albert Grant
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 84

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Book Description
Established in 2004, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is an American bilateral aid agency that enters five-year funding agreements with countries demonstrating sufficiently high scores in seventeen eligibility measures. Limiting eligibility allows the MCC to only fund countries that possess the institutional frameworks hypothetically necessary for growth and effective use of aid money. While these indicators have a large amount of theoretical support, there has - to date - been no empirical evaluation of whether or not they (grouped in this way) actually are significantly associated with positive health and economic development outcomes. Using fixed-effects models to analyze the relationship between lagged eligibility indicators and three development outcomes (infant mortality rates, life expectancy at birth, and GDP per capita), we find that the majority of indicators in low income countries show significant correlations, while the majority in lower middle income countries do not. Assessing the appropriateness of the median-based eligibility cutoffs, we conclude that while some of the data may support slightly stricter or more relaxed standards, the indicators are generally within acceptable ranges of expected marginal effects and political considerations may outweigh statistical concerns.

Author: Frederic Sautet
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 24

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Book Description
The Millennium Challenge Account's (MCA) focus on results and creating incentives for developing countries to enact good policy continues to hold promise for a well-needed change in government-driven international development assistance. The continued success of the MCA will depend on the ability of the leadership to allow the mission - to reduce poverty through growth - to guide decisions. The Criteria and Methodology for Determining the Eligibility of Candidate Countries for Millennium Challenge Account Assistance in FY2006 reemphasizes the MCC's commitment to economic freedom and a strong entrepreneurial environment as the driver of economic progress. However, it also contains troubling proposals for new indicators that lose sight of this focus. With so many problems surrounding development, it is tempting to construe the MCA as a new fix-all for development. However, this will not help developing countries or the MCA. Economic development brings social benefits such as better health, a clean environment, and quality education. The MCA must continue to encourage countries to enact policies that create the conditions for economic prosperity. If, rather, it attempts to stimulate the consequences of development before addressing its causes, it is almost assured to fail on both accounts. The process set forward to develop a new quot;Natural Resource Managementquot; indicator must be reconsidered, and any new indicators must clearly demonstrate their relationship to the MCC's mission. The MCC needs to reconsider this and similar actions proposed in the report. These actions threaten to: Prioritize narrow interests over economic growth and are likely to achieve neither, Contradict the intent of the legislation that authorized the MCA and undermine its core principles, and Confuse the consequences of development with the causes of development, encouraging economically harmful policy. The importance of clearly articulating good indicators cannot be underestimated. Because of the strong incentives the MCA creates for countries wish to become eligible to receive funds, the MCA's influence reaches far beyond the dollars it spends. Poor choices now will have severe consequences as more countries tailor reforms to the indicators MCC chooses.

Author: Wil Hout
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134182384
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 252

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Book Description
The first extended analysis of selectivity policies of important bilateral and multilateral aid donors, this book combines a policy-analytical with a quantitative-empirical approach. Bringing out the conflicts that may exist between foreign assistance agendas and the desire of governments in developing countries to set priorities for their national

Author: Sabino Cassese
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
ISBN: 1783478462
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 605

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Book Description
This Handbook explores the main themes and topics of the emerging field of Global Administrative Law with contributions by leading scholars and experts from universities and organizations around the world. The variety of the subjects addressed and the internationality of the Handbook’s perspectives make for a truly global and multi-dimensional view of the field. The book first examines the growth of global administrations, their interactions within global networks, the emergence of a global administrative process, and the development of the rule of law and democratic principles at a global level. It goes on to illustrate the relationship between global law and other legal orders, with particular attention to regional systems and national orders. The final section, devoted to the emergence of a global legal culture, brings the book full circle by identifying the growth of a global epistemic community. The Research Handbook on Global Administrative Law provides a contemporary overview of the nascent field in detailed yet accessible terms, making it a valuable book for university courses. Academics and scholars with an interest in international law, administrative law, public law, and comparative law will find value in this book, as well as legal professionals involved with international and supranational organizations and national civil servants dealing with supranational organizations.

Author: International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1451952929
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 60

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Book Description
This paper describes the importance of luck, timing, and political institutions in beating inflation. The paper highlights that countries experiencing high inflation typically make several disinflation attempts, some of which succeed only temporarily. If a country trying to stabilize prices and wages is unlucky enough to be exposed to severe external shocks—for example, a decline in demand for its exports—during its disinflation, the likelihood of failure is increased. A shock such as an increase in U.S. interest rates makes failure more likely for a country with an open capital account.

Author: Peter Barrett
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464813787
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 71

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Book Description
'The Impact of School Infrastructure on Learning: A Synthesis of the Evidence provides an excellent literature review of the resources that explore the areas of focus for improved student learning, particularly the aspiration for “accessible, well-built, child-centered, synergetic and fully realized learning environments.†? Written in a style which is both clear and accessible, it is a practical reference for senior government officials and professionals involved in the planning and design of educational facilities, as well as for educators and school leaders. --Yuri Belfali, Head of Division, Early Childhood and Schools, OECD Directorate for Education and Skills This is an important and welcome addition to the surprisingly small, evidence base on the impacts of school infrastructure given the capital investment involved. It will provide policy makers, practitioners, and those who are about to commission a new build with an important and comprehensive point of reference. The emphasis on safe and healthy spaces for teaching and learning is particularly welcome. --Harry Daniels, Professor of Education, Department of Education, Oxford University, UK This report offers a useful library of recent research to support the, connection between facility quality and student outcomes. At the same time, it also points to the unmet need for research to provide verifiable and reliable information on this connection. With such evidence, decisionmakers will be better positioned to accurately balance the allocation of limited resources among the multiple competing dimensions of school policy, including the construction and maintenance of the school facility. --David Lever, K-12 Facility Planner, Former Executive Director of the Interagency Committee on School Construction, Maryland Many planners and designers are seeking a succinct body of research defining both the issues surrounding the global planning of facilities as well as the educational outcomes based on the quality of the space provided. The authors have finally brought that body of evidence together in this well-structured report. The case for better educational facilities is clearly defined and resources are succinctly identified to stimulate the dialogue to come. We should all join this conversation to further the process of globally enhancing learning-environment quality! --David Schrader, AIA, Educational Facility Planner and Designer, Former Chairman of the Board of Directors, Association for Learning Environments (A4LE)

Author: International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1451953984
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 60

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Book Description
This paper explores why increased aid flows require economic policymakers to confront some specific issues. Ensuring that increased aid promotes growth and reduces poverty is certainly the most important task. Empirical studies offer only mild support for aid-boosting growth. However, one study suggests that once one excludes the aid flows aimed at political and humanitarian goals, a positive net effect is observed for the remaining aid focused on economic objectives. This paper also outlines the roles to be played by development partners for making the aid being properly utilized for boosting growth.

Author: Jody Zall Kusek
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 0821382896
Category : Government productivity
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
An effective state is essential to achieving socio-economic and sustainable development. With the advent of globalization, there are growing pressures on governments and organizations around the world to be more responsive to the demands of internal and external stakeholders for good governance, accountability and transparency, greater development effectiveness, and delivery of tangible results. Governments, parliaments, citizens, the private sector, NGOs, civil society, international organizations and donors are among the stakeholders interested in better performance. As demands for greater accountability and real results have increased, there is an attendant need for enhanced results-based monitoring and evaluation of policies, programs, and projects. This Handbook provides a comprehensive ten-step model that will help guide development practitioners through the process of designing and building a results-based monitoring and evaluation system. These steps begin with a OC Readiness AssessmentOCO and take the practitioner through the design, management, and importantly, the sustainability of such systems. The Handbook describes each step in detail, the tasks needed to complete each one, and the tools available to help along the way."

Author: Linda G. Morra-Imas
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 0821379119
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 611

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Book Description
'The Road to Results: Designing and Conducting Effective Development Evaluations' presents concepts and procedures for evaluation in a development context. It provides procedures and examples on how to set up a monitoring and evaluation system, how to conduct participatory evaluations and do social mapping, and how to construct a "rigorous" quasi-experimental design to answer an impact question. The text begins with the context of development evaluation and how it arrived where it is today. It then discusses current issues driving development evaluation, such as the Millennium Development Goals and the move from simple project evaluations to the broader understandings of complex evaluations. The topics of implementing 'Results-based Measurement and Evaluation' and constructing a 'Theory of Change' are emphasized throughout the text. Next, the authors take the reader down 'the road to results, ' presenting procedures for evaluating projects, programs, and policies by using a 'Design Matrix' to help map the process. This road includes: determining the overall approach, formulating questions, selecting designs, developing data collection instruments, choosing a sampling strategy, and planning data analysis for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method evaluations. The book also includes discussions on conducting complex evaluations, how to manage evaluations, how to present results, and ethical behavior--including principles, standards, and guidelines. The final chapter discusses the future of development evaluation. This comprehensive text is an essential tool for those involved in development evaluation.

Author: Department of Economic & Social Affairs
Publisher: United Nations Publications
ISBN: 9789211045871
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 295

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Book Description
This book presents an overview of the key debates that took place during the Economic and Social Council meetings at the 2007 High-level Segment, at which ECOSOC organized its first biennial Development Cooperation Forum. The discussions also revolved around the theme of the second Annual Ministerial Review, "Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to sustainable development."--P. 4 of cover.