All Nordic donors increased their aid last year and total aid from the region now amounts to almost USD 16 billion. Norway had the highest aid level among Western countries, but was outpaced by the United Arab Emirates, a non-OECD member, which reported aid at 1.25 per cent of GNI.

World Bank debars SWECO Environment

The World Bank announced Friday that it has disbarred the Swedish engineering consultancy firm SWECO Environment AB and its affiliates for three years following the company’s acknowledgement of misconduct related to a water and environment project in the Ukraine.

Sida aims for SEK 600m guarantee for sugar and ethanol project

Sida has given bridge financing in the form of a SEK 120 million guarantee for the EcoEnergy sugar and ethanol project in Tanzania. If the African Development Bank gives a green light for the main project, Sida is prepared to extend its guarantee to over half a billion crowns. In spite of the risks, the potential benefits are so big that it would be wrong not to support this project, Sida says.

Oxfam moves into the Nordic market

Oxfam is testing the Nordic region. Danish IBIS is weighing the pros and cons of joining the Oxfam International federation, and a small Swedish Oxfam office has just opened up.

Row over Ethiopia’s membership in EITI

The Chair of EITI Clare Short defends the board’s approval of Ethiopia as a candidate member. Human rights activists misunderstand the purpose of the initiative, she says.

Ugandan aid freeze. Devil in the detail

Norway and Denmark were quick to announce they were withholding their aid after the anti-gay bill became law in Uganda. But one month on, they still haven’t decided where to make the cuts.

Legality of Bagamoyo environmental license

Environmental concerns raised by Sida in earlier phases of the EcoEnergy project have now been resolved, Sida says. An environmental expert raises doubts.

Full Nordic backing for largest wind park in Africa, Lake Turkana in Kenya

The Danish turbine supplier Vestas has secured a huge contract for the Lake Turkana wind park in Kenya. A complex financing package, including key Nordic support, made it possible.

Verdict stands, Scania officials acquitted in Oil for Food trial

A district court has acquitted two Scania officials for violating UN sanctions in Iraq a decade ago. The Swedish prosecutor did not appeal the verdict.

Opinions

Neither cheap nor quick, but critical

In an opinion piece in Development Today, Chris Lang of REDD Monitor questions Norway’s Climate and Forest Initiative. He writes that REDD+ turns out to be neither quick nor cheap. Lang argues that Norway’s “rainforest billions” have not contributed to reducing deforestation in Brazil and Indonesia.

Saving tropical forests turns out to be neither cheap nor quick

Having monitored global REDD initiatives since 2008, writer and environmental activist Chris Lang questions whether Norway’s aid-financed climate forest initiative - the largest in the world - has contributed to reducing rates of deforestation.

Editorial

Big business is back

Two recent deals involving private companies and Nordic development financing instiutions mark that big business is back in aid. The financing packages are complicated, but they have in common that Nordic companies and individuals are driving forces, and they have managed to get a range of aid institutions onboard to fund their projects.

Burma activists: land law facilitates land grab

Civil society groups in Myanmar (Burma) fear new government laws will facilitate large scale land grabbing related to mining and oil activities.

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Quote: OECD reaches out to private foundations

“We are not saying that private philanthropy is better. But [being part of this network] is about sharing approaches with traditional donors ... The project mentality can introduce perverse incentives because if your project succeeds your funding will end. Development is not an event. It doesn’t happen in three-year cycles.”

- Stephen Nairne, Managing Director of Lundin Foundation, member of OECD network of foundations (NetFWD)

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