Why Aid Does Not Increase Savings Rates in Sub-Saharan Africa

Since the mid-1980s, sub-Saharan Africa has had the lowest savings and investment rates of any region in the world. It has also been the recipient of the highest levels of Official Development Assistance relative to output. Hence, many analysts have been concerned that ODA might be having a negative impact on domestic savings. ODA Results This would be the case if ODA mostly encouraged higher consumption rates, and did little to boost domestic investment. Has this been the case? This One Pager investigates this question (see Serieux, 2009). Most previous analyses of this issue have presumed that aid could be used for either domestic consumption or investment. However, such analysis is incomplete since it also rests on the assumption that all ODA actually stays within the developing country

A prototype automatic phase compensation module

The growing demands for high gain and accurate satellite communication systems will necessitate the utilization of large reflector systems. One area of concern of reflector based satellite communication is large scale surface deformations due to thermal effects. These distortions, when present, can degrade the performance of the reflector system appreciable. This performance degradation is manifested by a decrease in peak gain, and increase in sidelobe level, and pointing errors. It is essential to compensate for these distortion effects and to maintain the required system performance in the operating space environment. For this reason the development of a technique to offset the degradation effects is highly desirable. Currently, most research is direct at developing better material for the reflector. These materials have a lower coefficient of linear expansion thereby reducing the surface errors. Alternatively, one can minimize the distortion effects of these large scale errors by adaptive phased array compensation. Adaptive phased array techniques have been studied extensively at NASA and elsewhere. Presented in this paper is a prototype automatic phase compensation module designed and built at NASA Lewis Research Center which is the first stage of development for an adaptive array compensation module

Operating and service manual for the NASA Lewis automated far-field antenna range

This NASA Lewis far-field antenna range was recently upgraded and automated to meet the growing and demanding needs of the satellite communications program. Here, assistance is offered in the operation and service of this range. The procedures for configuring the test hardware and for operating the Far-Field Antenna Measurement Program (FAMP) are given. Included are the steps for getting started and for installing the proper microwave equipment

The Macroeconomic Implications of MDG-Based Strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa

Macroeconomic; MDG; Sub-Saharan Africa; Poverty

Does Debt Relief Increase Fiscal Space in Zambia? The MDG Implications

.Debt, Increase, Fiscal Space, Zambia, MDG

Why Not ?Front-load? ODA for HIV/Aids?

.ODA, HIV, AIDS

A Proposed Strategy for Growth, Employment and Poverty Reduction in Uzbekistan

This Country Study provides an outline of a Strategy for Growth, Employment and Poverty Reduction in Uzbekistan. It recommends that the country seek to achieve a six per cent trend rate of economic growth based on increases in domestic public and private investment, instead of relying, as it currently does, on external demand for primary commodities. It also recommends measures to increase the employment intensity of growth and reduce inequality so that the country?s pattern of growth could become broad-based and inclusive. In order to achieve these goals, the study calls for more expansionary fiscal policies, focused on increasing public investment; moderately more accommodating monetary policies, designed to maintain positive but low real rates of return to stimulate private investment; and a managed exchange rate, targeted to boost the country?s international competitiveness and diversify its economy. The study notes that Uzbekistan does not lack savings; what it lacks are the means to mobilize its ample but underutilized private domestic savings. For mobilizing such savings and directing it to productive private investment, the study recommends an industrial policy, which could deploy various measures, such as tax and subsidy instruments, directed commercial credit and public-sector matching funds for private investment. The study recommends that an investment bank, based on joint public-private ownership, should spearhead industrial policy. Directing resources from capital-intensive sectors, formerly favoured by the government?s import-substitution policies, to internationally competitive employment-intensive sectors would be part of such an industrial policy, especially in order to enhance productive employment. The study favours supplementing such measures, which promote growth and employment, with more poverty-focused policies and programmes, such as an enlarged, rural-focused public works scheme, doubling public investment in agriculture and providing small farmers with greater access to land, other productive resources and credit. The study also calls for strengthening the country?s social policies, education and health in particular, and its system of social protection. For health, it emphasizes strengthening primary health care and, for education, it stresses ensuring a full 12-year cycle of secondary education, including professional and vocational education. It also calls for improving the efficiency and equity of the country?s community-based mahalla system of social protection, which it believes has functioned fairly well during the transition period.Strategy; Growth; Employment; Poverty Reduction; Uzbekistan