An evaluation of the Red Cross’ response during the first few weeks after the tsunami concludes that the organisation faces a serious dilemma because it has so much money, and it must enter areas - like house-building on a massive scale - that are outside its usual mandate. The report was completed in March 2005, but was not released for a year by decision of the Red Cross’ international board. (See DT 1/06) Following strong criticism, the evaluation has now been made public.

Not House Builders

A second evaluation of the Red Cross tsunami response concludes that the organisation has performed well in its traditional areas - basic health care, psychosocial ...

The new Norwegian government has changed Norway’s approach to the High Level Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, established during the previous administration. The ideas of Hernando de Soto are diluted and the UN is given a more prominent role.

The Swedish Process

Over the last few years, Sweden has been supporting UN Habitat to explore systematically the issue of insecurity of land tenure. This has evolved into ...

According to official OECD figures, Swedish aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo reached an annual average of USD 97 million during the years 2003 and 2004, making the country Sweden’s largest aid recipient.

Inga-Shaba, once partly financed with a loan from the Swedish Export Credits Guarantee Boad (EKN), is one of the longest electric power transmission lines in ...

A donor harmonisation plan that would have cut the number of Palestinian and Israeli human rights NGOs receiving donor support from 30 to just five has been modified, Danish Ministry officials confirm to Development Today.

Former Development Minister Hilde Frafjord Johnson takes strong exception to Development Today’s analysis of Norwegian aid to several Muslim countries.

Former Norwegian Development Minister Hilde Frafjord Johnson has become Special Adviser to the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Donald Kaberuka on post-conflict and ...