Millennium Development Goals expire next year … What then?
If you could come up with goals for the world to aspire to over the next 15 years, what would they be? What should we focus on?
The United Nations is conducting an online survey, asking people from around the world what matters most to them. More than 2.5-million people have responded, with everything from better transport and roads to affordable and nutritious food under consideration.
So far, the top global priority is better education, followed by better healthcare and an honest and responsive government, with reliable energy and climate change at the bottom. But to make a more considered list, we need much more information on what solutions exist, their cost and their likelihood of success to better prioritise these goals.
Katalyst for development in Bangladesh
Much of the huge development success seen over the past decades has been achieved thanks to innovative solutions that have been scaled up.
Conditional cash transfer programs like Brazil’s Bolsa Família have proved effective in reducing poverty and ensuring that children attend school and are vaccinated. Innovative financing mechanisms supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others have contributed to the immunization of hundreds of millions of children. UNITAID has pioneered financial schemes such as the airlines ticket levy to fund lifesaving medicines. Muhammad Yunus and others made microcredit a worldwide tool for credits to those who in the past were considered too poor for a bank loan.
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BPC joint letter commending alliance for worker safety
The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety (Alliance) has made great progress toward protecting workers and improving garment factory safety, say former Senators George Mitchell (D-ME), Co-founder of the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), BPC Senior Fellow, in a letter issued by the BPC to Alliance Independent Chair Ellen Tauscher.
The BPC, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank actively promoting bipartisanship and respectful dialogue, helped give rise to the Alliance in 2013 through a series of discussions convened by Senators Mitchell and Snowe. The non-profit was instrumental in laying out the aggressive timeline and milestones for the Alliance’s five-year effort.
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Introducing VAT should be foremost priority for Bangladesh
The International Monetary Fund has said that the introduction of an improved value-added tax (VAT) regime in Bangladesh is facing delays, which could hold up the scheduled implementation of new legislation from 2015. The Fund has said that the introduction of the new regime should be the country's key priority.
The Fund reported: "With a calmer political environment, economic activity is gaining momentum, and real gross domestic product (GDP) growth is expected at about 6.25 percent in fiscal year 2015 (July 2014-Jun...
The Fund reported: "With a calmer political environment, economic activity is gaining momentum, and real gross domestic product (GDP) growth is expected at about 6.25 percent in fiscal year 2015 (July 2014-Jun...
IMF sees progress in macroeconomic stability
The Bangladesh authorities have made significant progress in consolidating macroeconomic stability under the ECF-supported program, said International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a press statement. It said, despite a moderation in exports, foreign exchange reserves have continued to increase and have reached adequate levels, inflation has declined, the fiscal deficit is contained and public debt is on a downward path. With a calmer political environment economic activity is gaining momentum, and real GDP growth is expected at about 6¼ percent in fiscal year (FY)15 (July 2014-June 2015), supported by strong domestic demand. There has also been progress on structural reforms. However, the introduction of a new value added tax (VAT), a key government reform to boost fiscal space for development...
US, Bangladesh Navy commence 4th CARAT Bangladesh
The fourth annual exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Bangladesh commenced with an opening ceremony at Naval Base Issa Khan, Sept 25.
Continuing through Sept. 30, CARAT Bangladesh 2014 consists of six days of shore-based and at-sea training events designed to address shared maritime security priorities, develop relationships and enhance cooperation among participating forces.
‘In just a few years, CARAT Bangladesh has become the premier engagement between our navies,’ said Rear Adm. Charlie Williams, commander, Task Force 73 and U.S. 7...
‘In just a few years, CARAT Bangladesh has become the premier engagement between our navies,’ said Rear Adm. Charlie Williams, commander, Task Force 73 and U.S. 7...
