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January 13, 2000
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GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK E-LETTER #3, December 1999
In this issue:
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I. First GDN Meeting Concludes, A New Global Network Begins
II. Help Shape the GDN Constitution
III. Join an Online Discussion on the GDN Web Strategy
IV. Japan Sponsors New Awards for Research and Innovative Projects
V. Global Research Project on Growth: Papers Now Online
VI. GDN Survey Results Now Available
VII. Apply for Special Access to World Bank Data
VIII. Online Initiatives Presented in Bonn
IX. To Receive or Stop Receiving this Newsletter
(In the email sent by Mark Warschauer to Papyrus News subscribers, the Roman numerals in the headings that follow did not agree with those in the Table of Contents above. I have taken the liberty of changing the Roman numerals in the headings below to match those in the Table above. Other minor typos have been corrected as well. - Vance Stevens, Ed.)
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I. First GDN Meeting Concludes, A New Global Network Begins
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The first meeting of the Global Development Network opened in Bonn, Germany with compelling speeches from World Bank Chief Economist and Senior Vice President Jospeh Stiglitz, Heidemarie Wiezoreck-Zeul, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany and Apolo R. Nsibambi, Prime Minister of Uganda. The speakers stressed the need to make better use of knowledge in decision-making and to distribute knowledge more equitably and openly as a means to sustainable development. A summary of the opening ceremony can be found at:
<http://www.gdnet.org/bonn99/conflive.htm>
The four-day conference on the theme "Bridging Knowledge and Policy" brought together nearly 600 people including representatives of 28 donor agencies and more than 300 organizations in 111 developing countries to create the GDN. During the conference, a "Highlights" section was created on the GDN99 web site to post new documents. Daily reports, selected session summaries, speeches, photos, and newly submitted conference papers can be found on the site at:
<http://www.gdnet.org/bonn99/>
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II. Help Shape the GDN Constitution!
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An online discussion on GDN governance will take place from the second week of January until the end of February, and will provide input to a working group that will then prepare a draft GDN constitution. This is a follow-up to a lively panel discussion held in Bonn. Background materials will include a note setting forth the key issues: principles, legal status, secretariat, governing body, membership, scope, and interim arrangements. Register now by sending e-mail to:
<majordomo@jazz.worldbank.org>
Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the message, type:
subscribe gdnet
For more information on this electronic discussion, visit the World Bank's "Development Forum" web site at:
<http://www.worldbank.org/devforum/gdnet.html>
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III. Join an Online Discussion on the GDN Web Strategy
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The "Web Strategies" discussion will take place from January 17 to February 11, 2000. Questions will be related to issues such as: complimentary online networks, open and closed access, knowledge exchange and networking needs, central vs. self posting, the role of regional networks, etc. If you would like to participate, please send an e-mail to:
<majordomo@jazz.worldbank.org>
Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the message, type the following:
subscribe gdnweb
For more information on this electronic discussion, visit the World Bank's "Development Forum" web site at:
<http://www.worldbank.org/devforum/gdnweb.html>
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IV. Japan Sponsors New Awards: $125,000 for Best Research, $125,000 for Most Innovative Project
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Sei Nakai, president of Japan's Institute of Fiscal and Monetary Policy, confirmed in Bonn that Japan is sponsoring two new development prizes of $125,000 each, one for outstanding research and one for the most innovative project on the ground. Smaller cash awards and medals will also be given for outstanding research. Applications are now being accepted and winners will be announced next December in Tokyo at GDN2000. For guidelines and application forms, go to:
<http://www.gdnet.org/awards.htm>
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V. Global Research Project on Growth: Papers Now Online
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Authors and advisors for the GDN Global Research Project met in Cairo, Egypt, on October 28 & 29 to evaluate progress on the research papers. Drafts of eight of the planned 24 papers are now available. The project seeks to explain the growth experience of six regions over the past 30 years, with emphasis on recent events and prospects for the future. For more information and to download the papers, go to:
<http://www.gdnet.org/grproject.htm >
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VI. GDN Survey Results Now Available
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The newly completed GDN survey is the largest and most comprehensive study ever of the needs and interests of policy research organizations in developing countries. Responses were invited from 512 research institutes throughout the developing world of which nearly 40% completed the questionnaire. Respondents rated the GDN as "highly valuable." For more on the survey results go to:
<http://www.gdnet.org/survey2.htm >
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VII. Apply for Special Access to World Bank Data
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The World Bank's Development Data Group will provide access--for affiliated GDN institutions--to the Bank's SIMA data system in February-March, 2000. This pilot service of SIMA--Statistical Information Management and Analysis--will include a comprehensive socio-economic database and some research databases from the World Bank, and will serve as a data exchange for GDN members. Members of affiliated GDN institutions can apply for access to SIMA on
<http://www.gdnet.org/data.htm>
or by emailing <info@worldbank.org> Applicants will be notifed by email how to proceed.
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VIII. Online Initiatives Presented in Bonn
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Through a session on "Technology Options for Think Tanks" and speaker's podiums in the Knowledge Marketplace, GDN99 showcased a number of successful policy and development-oriented web sites. The following sites were presented:
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1.) European Centre for Development Policy Management<http://www.oneworld.org/ecdpm/> |
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2.) Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information |
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3.) European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes |
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4.) Southern African Research and Documentation Centre |
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5.) Global Applied Research Network |
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6.) Capacity.org |
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7.) ID21 |
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IX. To Receive or Stop Receiving this Newsletter
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Please forward this letter to others who may be interested in the Global Development Network. Subscriptions to the Global Development Network E-Letter are free. To subscribe complete the brief subscription form at http://www.gdnet.org/subscribe.htm. If you lack Web access, send us e-mail requesting a subscription to info@gdnet.org. Please include your full name, position or title, the name of your organization, and your country of residence. Requests to be dropped from the subscription list will be promptly honored and should also be sent to <info@gdnet.org>
If you have questions about the network that are not answered on the web site, or if you lack web access and want additional information, please contact <info@gdnet.org> or write to:--
The World Bank
GDN Secretariat
Susan Wilder or Erik Johnson
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
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