PSIA Newsletter # 4
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Newsletter #4
Dear colleagues,
This fourth newsletter is addressed to the combined group (please see attached list) of (a) the October 2003 EPIAM workshop participants and (b) the original group of people interested in EPIAM. It is intended to be a quarterly newsletter of the New Rules for Global Finance Coalition’s EPIAM project.
Part I: International Workshop on Tools for EPIAM
The Workshop was held at IFPRI’s Headquarters in Washington, DC, on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 14-15, 2003. The workshop was co-organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the European Network on Debt and Development (EURODAD), the New Rules for Global Finance Coalition, and Oxfam International.
For further information, especially:
- the workshop summary and conclusion;
- the list of participants;
- the papers/notes/presentations; etc.
please visit the EPIAM workshop website (provided by IFPRI) at: http://www.ifpri.org/events/seminars/2003/20031014_epiam.htm
Part II: New Focus of the EPIAM Project
Based on the concluding session of the EPIAM workshop, the EPIAM project will refocus its agenda on issues related to Tools, Capacity, and Participation of EPIAM (instead of its current focus on Standards, Methodologies and Tools for EPIAM).
The EPIAM work program contains therefore a combination of joint research, workshops, and conferences to overcome the current lack of tools, capacity, and participation, whereby we are interested to work together with a variety of developmental organizations and other civil society groups and networks. Specific outputs for 2004-2005 are:
- Publication of October 2003 Workshop (Spring/Summer 2004),
- EPIAM Research Competition (Spring 2004),
- Country Studies on Experiences with EPIAM (to begin in 2004),
- Conference on Participatory Macroeconomics (Summer 2004),
- Model Evaluations and a Modelers’ Workshop (Spring 2005), and
- Conference on EPIAM Standards (Fall 2005).
Part III: Information on Related Workshops and Networks
1) PEP and MIMAP networks:
As promised at the EPIAM workshop, here are the web site addresses of the PEP network: www.pep-net.org and its parent MIMAP network: www.mimap.org. These networks provide funding, training and scientific support to developing country researchers working on poverty issues. One group of PEP researchers (the MPIA group) works specifically on Tools for the Exante Poverty Impact Assessment of Macroeconomic Policies. Please publicize the PEP network to anyone who may be interested, in particular developing country researchers who may be interested in submitting a proposal.. We also encourage you to visit the web site, which is full of training material, readings and projects. In particular, you may find the material under “research groups”, “MPIA” and “recommended readings” or “training material” of particular interest. A paper on gender modeling will be posted shortly!
2. EcoMod Network (www.ecomod.net) and its partners will organize three international conferences in 2004 and provide eight training courses:
a) International Conference on Policy Modeling (EcoMod2004) June 30-July 2, 2004, Paris, France (co-organized with the CEPII)
b) Input-Output and General Equilibrium: Data, Modeling and Policy Analysis September 2-4, 2004, Brussels, Belgium (co-organized with the International Input-Output Association)
c) The State-of-the-Art in Regional Modeling October 2004, Seville, Spain (Co-organized with CentrA)
d) Intensive and practical modeling courses in CGE, OLG, trade policy, environmental, macro-econometric, and financial modeling using GAMS, EViews, TROLL, and GAUSS in San Diego, CA (January 5-10, 2004); Washington DC (April 5-10, 2004), and Brussels (July 12-24, 2004).
3. DFID-DGIS workshop of bilaterals on PSIA, The Hague, Oct 13-14, 2003; please click here
4. Second Regional Conference on Poverty Reduction Strategies, Phnom Penh, October 16-18, 2003; please see: http://www.worldbank.org/asiapovertyconference
5. “New Directions in Impact Assessment for Development: Methods and Practice” International Conference, Manchester, U.K., 24 – 25 November 2003; please see: http://www.enterprise-impact.org.uk/conference/index.shtml
Part IV: Other Newsletters/News
1. PRSP Monitoring and Synthesis Project: The PRSP Monitoring and Synthesis Project has been commissioned by the Department of International Development to enhance DFID’s ability to engage with the wider policy debate around PRSPs and will help all levels of DFID staff to remain well-informed about a wide variety of PRSP work. The PRSP Synthesis Team at the Overseas Development Institute collate information on the PRSP process from a variety of sources and provide updates, topic notes, and in-depth analysis on key issues around PRSPs. For their latest newsletter, please see: http://www.prspsynthesis.org/
2. Finally, the following two items are from the World Bank’s PovertyNet Newsletter (http://worldbank.org/poverty), #60 November 2003:
(a) November feature: Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP) Newsletter:
The PRSP newsletter is a quarterly newsletter highlighting news, events, and developments in the PRSP process. PRSPs, prepared by governments through a participatory process, provide a country’s strategy for poverty reduction and the foundation for external assistance and debt relief. To view the November 2003 issue of the PRSP newsletter: http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/strategies/newsletter/03nov.htm To subscribe please send a blank e-mail to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
(b) Announcing the IRIS Center Developing Poverty Assessment Tools e-mail listserv:
USAID has been asked by the United States Congress to develop and certify at least two tools for poverty assessment, which will be used by recipients of USAID microenterprise funding to assess the poverty level of their clients. The IRIS Center of the University of Maryland will implement this project and has set up an e-mail listserv to gather input and feedback and to announce meetings and updates on the project. To subscribe to the Poverty Assessment Tools listserv and actively participate in discussions about identifying, developing, and recommending poverty assessment tools, send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with “subscribe povertytools” in the body of the message. Summaries of listserv discussions will be posted on the project website at http://www.povertytools.org
Best regards,
Bernhard G. Gunter, Ph.D.
EPIAM Project Director
E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Exante Poverty Impact Assessment of Macroeconomic Policies (EPIAM):
Tools, Capacity, and Participation
A Project initiated by the New Rules for Global Finance Coalition.
Please see http://www.new-rules.org/what-we-do/macroeconomic-policy-impact-analysis for more details.
List of people who indicated their interest in EPIAM (as of December 2003; excluding core New Rules members)
Charles Abugre, Executive Director, Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), Ghana;
Christopher Adam, Professor, Oxford University;
Nicholas Adamtey, Researcher, Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), Ghana;
Tony Addison, Deputy Director, World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER);
Anselme Adégbidi, Professor and Head of Economics Department, University of Abomey-Calavi; Republic of Benin;
Pierre-Richard Agenor, Professor, Yale University/World Bank;
Masood Ahmed, Director-General; Policy and International Division, Department for International Development (DFID), UK;
Bishop Akolgo, Deputy Executive Director, Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), Ghana;
Nural Alam, Deputy Director, Evaluation Office, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);
Brian Ames, Advisor, African Department (AFR), International Monetary Fund (IMF);
Tony Avrigan, Global Policy Coordinator, Economic Policy Institute;
Peter Baofu, Professor, USDA Graduate School;
Gerald Barney, President, Millennium Institute;
David Bevan, Professor, Oxford University;
Keith Bezanson, Professor and Director; Institute of Development Studies, Sussex University;
Graham Bird, Professor, University of Surrey, UK;
Francois Bourguignon, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President, World Bank;
John Burton, Deputy Head of Economics, Department for International Development (DFID), UK;
Maurizio Bussolo, Economic Policy and Prospects Group, World Bank;
Benedict Clements, Deputy-Division Chief, FAD, International Monetary Fund (IMF);
John Cockburn, Professor, University of Laval, Canada; and PEP Network;
Marc Cohen, Special Assistant to the Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI);
Giovanni Andrea Cornia, Professor, University of Florence;
Caesar Cororaton, Research Fellow, Philippine Institute for Development Studies;
Tom Crowards, Team Leader, Policy Division, Department for International Development (DFID), UK;
Roy Culpeper, President and CEO, North-South Institute;
David Demery, Professor, Bristol University;
Nassir Djafari, Division Chief, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), Germany;
Laura dos Reis, Assistant to the Director, G-24, Liaison Office at the International Monetary Fund (IMF);
Haidy Ear-Dupuy, Macroeconomics Policy Advisor, World Vision;
Bethany Emmett, Policy Advisor, Oxfam GB;
Boniface Essama-Nssah, Senior Economist, PREM, World Bank;
Ricardo Ffrench-Davis, Principal Advisor, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC);
Marzia Fontana, Professor, Sussex University;
Augustin Fosu, Director of Research, African Economic Research Consortium;
Rafael Gomes, Programme Officer, European Network on Debt and Development (EURODAD);
Christiaan Grootaert, Lead Economist, World Bank retiree;
Peter Gudgeon, Interregional Adviser, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), United Nations;
Sanjeev Gupta, Assistant Director; Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD), International Monetary Fund (IMF);
Lucia Hanmer, Resident Representative; Guyana, World Bank;
Peter Heller, Deputy-Director, FAD, International Monetary Fund (IMF);
Richard Hemming, Assistant-Director, FAD, International Monetary Fund (IMF);
Barry Herman, Chief, Finance and Development Branch, United Nations (UN);
Christopher Herman, Analyst, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);
Adam Hersh, Research Assistant, Economic Policy Institute;
Bob Huber, Senior Social Affairs Officer, DSPD/UNDESA;
Alejandro Izquierdo, Economist, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB);
Eva Jespersen, Regional Advisor; Social Policy and Economic Analysis; East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office, UNICEF; Bangkok; Thailand;
Ravi Kanbur, Professor, Cornell University;
M. Adil Khan, Chief; Socio-Economic Policy and Development Management Branch, DSPD/UNDESA;
Tony Killick, Senior Research Associate, Overseas Development Institute (ODI);
Egor Kraev, Researcher, Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), Ghana;
Michael Kremer, Professor, Harvard University and Brookings Institution;
Ruchira Kumar, Research Assistant, Kennedy School of Government;
Shubh Kumar-Range, Senior Program Manager; Economic Change Poverty and Environment, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Macroeconomics Program Office;
John Langmore, Director, ILO Liaison Office to the UN, International Labor Office (ILO);
Max Lawson, Policy Advisor, Oxfam GB;
J. Savannah Lengsfelder, US Treasury Department, Office of Debt, Development Finance, and Quantitative Analysis;
Hans Lofgren, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI);
Humberto Lopez, Senior Economist, World Bank;
Wahiduddin Mahmud, Professor, Dhaka University;
Michael Margolis, Fellow, Resources for the Future;
Elena McCollim, Program Manager, InterAction;
Warwick McKibbin, Professor, Australian National University;
Terry McKinley, Policy Advisor, Macroeconomics and Poverty, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);
Rohinton Medhora, Vice-President; Program and Partnership Branch, International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada;
Santosh Mehrotra, Senior Policy Advisor to the Human Development Report Office, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);
Aghasi Mkrtchyan, Board Member, Economic Development and Research Center (EDRC);
Christian Morrisson, Professor, University of Paris (formerly OECD Development Centre);
Mustafa Mujeri, Project Leader, MIMAP-Bangladesh;
Christopher Mwakasege, Executive Director, Tanzania Social and Economic Trust (TASOET), Tanzania;
Raj Nallari, Team Leader, Program for Attacking Poverty, WBI, World Bank;
Benno Ndulu, Research Manager, World Bank;
Prabhat Patnaik, Professor, Jawaharlal University and IDEAS;
Matteo Pedercini, Senior Modeler, Millennium Institute;
Luiz Pereira da Silva, Lead Economist, Research Department, World Bank;
Basanta Kumar Pradhan, Chief Economist, National Council of Applied Economic Research; India;
M. G. Quibria, Advisor; Operations Evaluations Department, Asian Development Bank;
Musunuru Rao, Senior Vice President, KCP Associates International;
David Reed, Director, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Macroeconomics Program Office;
Sherman Robinson, Institute Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI);
Yana Rodgers, Associate Professor of Economics, College of William and Mary;
Rick Rowden, Policy Director, ActionAid USA;
Rathin Roy, Public Resource Management Advisor, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);
David Sahn, Professor, Cornell University;
Luc Savard, Team Leader, MIMAP Program, IDRC;
Rodney Schmidt, Principal Researcher, North-South Institute;
Fulai Sheng, Director, Global Initiatives, Conservation International;
Jed Shilling, Senior Advisor, Millennium Institute;
Charles Soludo, Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Nigeria in Nsukka;
Randy Spence, Senior Program Specialist, International Development Research Center, Canada/MIMAP;
Frances Stewart, Professor, Oxford University;
Servaas Storm, Professor, Delft University of Technology; The Netherlands;
Lance Taylor, Professor, New School University;
Teresa Ter-Minassian, Director, FAD, International Monetary Fund (IMF);
Erwin Tiongson, Young Professional, Poverty Reduction Group of the PREM Network, World Bank;
Rati Trapathi, Researcher, Bretton Woods Initiative/European Network on Debt and Development (EURODAD);
Karen Travis, International Economist and Ph.D. candidate, University of Maryland; and, U.S. Department of Labor; Bureau of International Labor Affairs;
Mushegh Tumasyan, Chairman, Economic Development and Research Center (EDRC);
Rolph van der Hoeven, Manager, Technical Secretariat, World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, International Labor Office (ILO);
Rob Vos, Deputy Rector and Professor, Institute of Social Studies; The Netherlands;
Ebru Voyvoda, Researcher, Dr., University of Utah;
John Weeks, Director; and Professor of Development Economics, Centre for Development,
Policy and Research (CDPR); and School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), University of London;
John Whalley, Professor, International Development Research Center, Canada/MIMAP and University of Western Ontario;
Jacqueline Woodman, Coordinator, Economic Policy Empowerment Programme, European Network on Debt and Development (EURODAD);
Erinc Yeldan, Professor, Bilkent University.