In The News

Somalis Brave a Sea of Perils for Jobs Abroad

Marc Lacey June 5, 2006
For individuals seeking an escape from the crushing drought, poverty and violence of Somalia, the width of the Gulf of Aden between the African coast and that of Yemen is tantalizingly narrow. The two-day journey, however, is deadly for the migrants who cram onto rickety fishing boats, waiting to be smuggled across the divide. Conservative estimates suggest that since September 2005, about 1000...

EU Faces Complications in Plan to Halt Migrants

Dan Bilefsky June 1, 2006
The proximity of Spain’s Canary Islands to the coast of West Africa has historically been a vantage point for European westward endeavors and explorations. Today, however, the islands and other EU border areas experience an influx of migrants from the south. During one week in May, more than 1,500 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands from several West African countries, overwhelming border...

The West Is Teeming with Africans Doing Odd Jobs Because Our Leaders Can’t Provide Vision or Hope

Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem May 31, 2006
The narratives of illegal immigration in both Europe and North America often focus on the problems faced by receiving countries or the trials of those forced to live covert lives in foreign lands. The exodus of citizens from underdeveloped states, however, imposes the most harm on the countries that are abandoned. Author Abdul-Raheem describes the irony of sitting on a plane next to a man who...

Slash and Burn

Saumya Roy May 26, 2006
In developing countries, farmers often rely on growing cotton for their livelihoods. But heavy loans, power and water shortages, and natural disasters have made growing cotton a dangerous venture. Farmers facing failure in India often resort to suicide. Meanwhile wealthy governments like the US subsidize their cotton farmers, contributing to a global glut in cotton and sinking prices. Monopoly...

“I’ll Make It to Europe, Or Die Trying”

Matthias Gebauer May 25, 2006
Mauritania, like other African countries, offers a desperate future. Residents age with a fatalism born of a failed education system, joblessness and constant violence. Any endeavor to escape is a testament to the human spirit, and many pin their hopes on a treacherous Atlantic journey to Europe. The risk often ends in death or disappointment as patrols from Europe capture makeshift boats,...

Globalization Needs a Reality Check

Lyal White May 23, 2006
Globalization offers no guarantees – and does not necessarily lead to diversity, innovation and competition. Sometimes, large players present multiple brands, using globalization to mask ownership and monopolies. Consolidation of markets into global monoliths can encourage a standardization that inhibits innovation. Economic globalization does influence politics, because countries seeking...

Beyond Macro Reforms

Luis Alberto Moreno May 11, 2006
Economies throughout Latin America and the Caribbean are flourishing, enjoying steady growth rates along with inflation and fiscal deficits under control. Still, Latin American countries have low incomes and a low share of world trade, struggling to compete with Asian competitors in India, China, Japan and Korea. Luis Alberto Moreno, banking executive and former economic official for Colombia,...