“When states are breaking down or overcome by conflict, they create waves of danger,” The World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick writes in a speech about “Securing development” publiced thursday on the World Bank webpage.
“The first surge threatens the people living there. Fragile states have poverty rates averaging 54 percent, compared to 22 percent in other low income countries. Fragile states account for a third of the deaths in poor countries from HIV/AIDS, a third of those who lack access to clean water, a third of children who do not complete primary school, and half of all the child deaths. (…)
(…) The next perilous wave caused by these states undermines their neighbors with: refugees; warring groups; contagious diseases; and transnational criminal networks that traffic in drugs, arms, and people. As we have seen in South Asia and Africa, fragile states can create fragile regions. And fragile regions can become global threats.” (…)
(…) Today, I want to suggest ten considerations to help figure out what to do – or at least what questions to ask – in fragile situations.
1) First, Focus on Building Legitimacy of the State
2) Provide Security
3) Building Rule of Law and Legal Order
4) Bolster Local and National Ownership
5) Ensure Economic Stability – as a Foundation for Growth and Opportunity
6) Pay Attention to the Political Economy
7) Crowd in the Private Sector
8) Coordinate Across Institutions and Actors.
9) Consider the Regional Context
10) Recognize the Long-term Commitment
A full lenght version of Zoellicks speech, from the “Passing the Baton” Conference can be read at the The World Banks webpage www.worldbank.org/news/securing development
