Progress on Mongolia mining may hit election buffer

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mine ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Gold Mine ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Making Process ◽  
Run Up

Subject The outlook for Mongolia's economy. Significance Prime Minister Chimed Saikhanbileg's government has agreed concession partners to work the Tavan Tolgoi coal mine, and there are signs that an end to the impasse over the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine may be close. However, parliament and the approach of elections complicate the policy-making process. A slowing economy and weak fundamentals also pose considerable risks to the country. Impacts Foreign investors will stay away should Mongolia continue to send mixed signals as to whether they are welcome. Politics is likely to become more divisive in the run-up to elections next year. Growth will continue to slow this year, and at best only hold steady in 2016.

Indian attempts to curb media may deter investors

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Freedom Of Speech ◽  
Political Climate ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Media ◽  
Media Censorship ◽  
Central Level

Subject Media censorship in India. Significance The media represents one of the fastest-growing sectors of the Indian economy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has striven to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) from the estimated 4.3 billion dollars in 2016 and 4.0 billion dollars in 2015. Yet potential investors may be wary of the difficult political climate currently surrounding the industry, as indicated by the recent case of NDTV, whose Hindi-language service was threatened with a 24-hour ban by the broadcasting authorities. Impacts Prospective foreign investors risk becoming involved in legal battles over freedom of speech. Firms advertising on television and in print could be affected by such battles. Media freedoms will be tested at both the regional and central level.

Mongolia mine move raises nationalisation fears

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Public Support ◽  
The State ◽  
Russian Government ◽  
Mining Company ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Parliamentary Elections ◽  
Main Obstacle ◽  
The Government

Subject The sale of the Erdenet mine. Significance The day before parliamentary elections in June last year, Prime Minister Saikhanbileg Chimed announced the sale of 49% of shares held by the Russian government in the Erdenet Mining Corporation and the Mongolrostsvetmet mining company to Mongolia Copper Corporation, an unknown private Mongolian company. Subsequent parliamentary inquiry concluded that the sale was unconstitutional and the government ordered the shares transferred to the state on February 16 this year. The government’s actions received wide public support while polls reveal that the electorate views corruption as the main obstacle to Mongolia’s development Impacts Talk of 'nationalisation' in the Western media threatens to derail Mongolia's efforts to fix its image and attract foreign investors. The unusual circumstances of the sale raise suspicions of corruption and collusion between Mongolia's previous government and largest bank. The new government's will to scrutinise sale demonstrates the strength of Mongolia’s democracy.

Algerian army will try to guard fiefdom in transition

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Political Process ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Military Leadership ◽  
The Political ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Constitutional Order ◽  
Formal Power ◽  
The Military

Significance The military leadership has seized control of the political process, but has shown little interest in assuming formal power, often demonstrating sympathies with protesters while preserving the constitutional order. Impacts The prime minister and interim president may be pushed to quit as a concession. Elections planned for July 4 may be postponed if unrest grows. The economy may suffer as tourism will decline and foreign investors will hesitate to become involved in an uncertain energy sector.

Iraqi media and online commentators face new threats

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Civil Conflict ◽  
Regional Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The North ◽  
The Media ◽  
Run Up ◽  
Trade And Investment

Significance The advent of the new federal prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, himself a former journalist, brought a temporary lull, but deadly partisanship is now returning to the media scene. To the north, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), under tightening economic and pressure, has forcibly closed media outlets and put forward a draconian new law. Impacts Media use of disinformation and ‘fake’ content will likely escalate in the run-up to the federal polls. Tehran could step up its funding of key television channels to cement a dominant pro-militia narrative in Iraqi Shia politics. Deeper anger over nepotism and corruption in the KRG will undermine stability, but there is no likelihood of outright civil conflict. A clumsy crackdown may undermine the Kurdistan region’s reputation as a stable and safe location for international trade and investment.

Ethiopia shows East Africa leadership transition risks

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Africa ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Spillover Effects ◽  
Leadership Transition ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Dynamics ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Leadership Transitions ◽  
Resistance Movement

Subject The outlook for leadership transitions in East Africa. Significance Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda are ruled by parties that transformed from armed liberation movements. The Ethiopian People's Democratic Revolutionary Front (EPRDF), Uganda's National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) all took power within a few years of one another. They maintain party-to-party contacts and run tightly-controlled states which hold regular and ostensibly multiparty elections. Ethiopia's forthcoming elections in May will be the first since the death of liberation-era Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Its leadership transition provides signals for the region's other post-liberation states. Impacts Institutionalised leadership transitions would help provide regulatory clarity to foreign investors. Unstable transitions in any of these countries would have regional spillover effects, given cross-border political dynamics. Strong, coherent military institutions may prove an important guarantor of a stable transition, barring direct interference in politics.

Norway's government drives post-oil diversification

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Conservative Party ◽  
General Election ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Run Up

Subject Norway's economy. Significance Even as the global price for oil recovers slowly, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg's government hopes to encourage Norway to transition to a post-petroleum economy. The main contours of the 2017 budget suggest that the Norwegian economy has turned two significant corners: the prognosis for economic recovery is promising, and the Norwegian economy will slowly transition to a broader base. Impacts Spending rules for the GPFG could be tightened next spring. The expansive budget may help Solberg's Conservative Party win back votes in the run-up to the 2017 general election. The Christian Democrats could emerge as kingmakers from the 2017 election and possibly facilitate a centre-left coalition.

Leadership questions will distract Canada's opposition

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Policy ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
National Level ◽  
International Negotiations ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Liberal Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Election Victory

Significance Canada's main opposition parties -- the Conservatives and the NDP -- are entering a period of reconstruction and reinvention in the wake of October's election victory by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party, with implications for the government's political room for manoeuvre. Impacts Federal-provincial gridlock and economic concerns from the oil downturn will hinder Canadian climate policy-making. Should poor economic conditions persist despite the government's stimulus programme, the Conservatives could strengthen as a result. National-level scepticism of free trade in many countries will sap momentum in international negotiations, such as for TTIP.

Malaysia will struggle to foster economic growth

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Budget Deficit ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fiscal Management ◽  
Finance Minister

Subject Malaysia's 2019 budget. Significance Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s 314.5-billion-ringgit (75-billion-dollar) budget for 2019, tabled earlier this month, will likely be approved in parliament before year-end. The first budget under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad anticipates a budget deficit of 3.4% of GDP. Shortly after coming to power this May, Mahathir said he would give way to Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition partner Anwar Ibrahim within two years. Impacts The PH’s fiscal management will bolster confidence among foreign investors and credit ratings agencies. The lack of budget handouts to rural Malay constituencies could weaken political support for the PH in the short term. Government borrowing will likely become more expensive through 2019. The digital economy tax introduced in the budget will come into effect in 2020. Corruption investigations into missing revenues could result in further legal charges against members of the former government.

Delhi’s arbitration policy may hit foreign investment

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Investment ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
State Agencies ◽  
International Arbitration ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Doing Business ◽  
Legal Risks ◽  
Ease Of Doing Business

Subject India's policies on domestic and international arbitration. Significance The proposed Indian Arbitration Council Act seeks to institutionalise domestic arbitration procedures and make the country a centre for international arbitration practice. Delhi is seeking to protect its state agencies from future accountability before international arbitration courts. Impacts Accusations of partiality against India’s judiciary are likely to increase. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will appeal to foreign investors despite the legal risks they face in India. India’s reputation for ease of doing business is likely to improve only gradually.

How can universities contribute to regional competitiveness policy-making?

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-117
Author(s):  
Mari Jose Aranguren ◽  
Edurne Magro
Keyword(s):  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Regional Competitiveness ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Anchor Institutions ◽  
Implementation Approach ◽  
Policy Making Process ◽  
Multiple Domain

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to understanding regional competitiveness policy-making and the role academic organisations can play in that process. Competitiveness policies have evolved in the past decades from a single to a multiple-domain field, which has made the policy-making process more complex by adding more actors with their particular experience and view. This complexity, together with the relevance of overcoming traditional policy implementation failures, pleads for a new approach to competitiveness policy-making, in which academic organisations can act as “anchor institutions”. This framework is based on the adaptive implementation concept. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses the Basque case to analyse the role of universities in competitiveness policy-making and focuses on a specific academic organisation, which has contributed through different projects to regional policy-making. Evidences from those projects through different policy phases are included in the case. Findings The case shows how academic organisations might play a key role in fostering an adaptive implementation approach in competitiveness policy-making at the regional level and which specific characteristics these organisations should develop to fulfil this role. Originality/value This paper brings together two important issues for regional competitiveness: the importance of policy implementation and the particular role of engaged universities in such a process.

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