.jpg)
Carina Prakke commented on "Would you like to submit an article for the XUNICEF blog?"
19 hours ago
or start a conversation in XUNICEF's Forum (https://groups.google.com/g/forum-xunicef)
We're working on opening it up so that posts become conversations - a two-way exchange instead of a "feed".
We're working on opening it up so that posts become conversations - a two-way exchange instead of a "feed".
19 hours ago
I disagree. Not AI or distance killed the children of Minab, but the US military did.
The bow and arrow were invented by an inventor in the late Paleolithic period. The idea was to increase the distance between attacker and prey. Gunpowder and rifles continued the main idea.
When I was questioned as a conscientious objector what I would want to prevent future wars, I suggested that heads of state make it out between themselves in the boxing ring, something that was dismissed by the authorities.
Science has led to greater precision in warfare. However, it cannot prevent atrocities with certainty. The lesson is not to have more frameworks and protocols, but not to make war.
The bow and arrow were invented by an inventor in the late Paleolithic period. The idea was to increase the distance between attacker and prey. Gunpowder and rifles continued the main idea.
When I was questioned as a conscientious objector what I would want to prevent future wars, I suggested that heads of state make it out between themselves in the boxing ring, something that was dismissed by the authorities.
Science has led to greater precision in warfare. However, it cannot prevent atrocities with certainty. The lesson is not to have more frameworks and protocols, but not to make war.
21 hours ago
I have been experimenting with a new feature recently added to NotebookLM. This allows you to turn reports and articles into a simple video graphic presentation. Here is the graphic version of the two articles on the fertilizer, food price, malnutrition chain. https://shorturl.at/FW9yD Try out NotebookLM's new features for your own writing projects. It is a very easy way to help explain concepts. Tom
Hassan Shawareb commented on "How AI and Distance Killed the Children of Minab by Tom McDermott"
24 hours ago
Well said.
Rohini De Silva commented on "How AI and Distance Killed the Children of Minab by Tom McDermott"
24 hours ago
ndependent Human Resources and Organization Design Professional
21h
Thanks for the analysis and recommendation Tom. I hope the pentagon and dept of war will take heed. Unfortunately,once again it is children who are facing the consequences. I have still not heard the White House explain to the people, what took place and what they will do to reduce and eliminate attacks on civilians.
21h
Thanks for the analysis and recommendation Tom. I hope the pentagon and dept of war will take heed. Unfortunately,once again it is children who are facing the consequences. I have still not heard the White House explain to the people, what took place and what they will do to reduce and eliminate attacks on civilians.
Unknown commented on "Thomas Ekvall: Adam Smith, Capitalism, and the Arithmetic of Prosperity"
Yesterday
Thomas, cherry-picking is probably a temptation on all sides of this discussion, including yours. Development debates have a long tradition of selecting the examples that best illustrate one’s preferred conclusion. But that aside, the central point about Adam Smith was observational. What is puzzling is that within the UN development system, as you have suggested, this insight did not function as an organising principle. Growth was treated as someone else’s business, while social outcomes were assumed to be the result of redistribution.
In response to a comment by Unknown
D.C. commented on "The Season of June : Ken Gibbs"
Yesterday
Dear Fouad, your curiosity grows by the day,
But DC prefers to keep guessing at play.
Doris? Or David? Perhaps Danyal Choudhry?
Or Devendra Chatterjee, sipping hot tea?
The game, dear Fouad, is part of the fun—
Whether June holds the berries, or berries hold June
But DC prefers to keep guessing at play.
Doris? Or David? Perhaps Danyal Choudhry?
Or Devendra Chatterjee, sipping hot tea?
The game, dear Fouad, is part of the fun—
Whether June holds the berries, or berries hold June
In response to a comment by Fouad
Yesterday
It goes to show how self centered the industrial countries are when all we hear and see in their media is about the price of a barrel of oil. Nobody is even mentioning the coming food and nutrition crises except on few occasions about the rise in their own food baskets for their citizens. Where are the UN, FAO, WFP IFAD etc.?
Yesterday
Rob, you raise some important points, particularly about the tension between substance and visibility. Anyone who has spent time in the field will recognise the temptation for organisations to substitute communication outputs for actual programme results. That is not a new phenomenon, but social media has certainly amplified it.
At the same time, I suspect the picture is somewhat more mixed. Visibility and communication are not entirely trivial either; part of the reason UNICEF has historically been able to mobilise political and financial support is precisely that it managed to communicate its work effectively. The difficulty, as you imply, is when the balance shifts and visibility becomes the objective rather than the by-product of solid results.
On the staffing question, similar caution may be useful. In any large organisation, there will always be cases where the loudest voices appear to advance faster than the quieter but diligent colleagues. But if we reduce the explanation solely to that dynamic, we may miss the deeper structural issues we have been discussing here: incentives, management culture, and the way performance is actually assessed.
Perhaps the challenge is to design a system where substance, competence and integrity are consistently rewarded and where communication supports the work rather than replacing it. That would probably address several of the concerns you and others have raised in this thread.
These are not easy problems, but the fact that colleagues with long experience are willing to discuss them openly is in itself a healthy sign.
At the same time, I suspect the picture is somewhat more mixed. Visibility and communication are not entirely trivial either; part of the reason UNICEF has historically been able to mobilise political and financial support is precisely that it managed to communicate its work effectively. The difficulty, as you imply, is when the balance shifts and visibility becomes the objective rather than the by-product of solid results.
On the staffing question, similar caution may be useful. In any large organisation, there will always be cases where the loudest voices appear to advance faster than the quieter but diligent colleagues. But if we reduce the explanation solely to that dynamic, we may miss the deeper structural issues we have been discussing here: incentives, management culture, and the way performance is actually assessed.
Perhaps the challenge is to design a system where substance, competence and integrity are consistently rewarded and where communication supports the work rather than replacing it. That would probably address several of the concerns you and others have raised in this thread.
These are not easy problems, but the fact that colleagues with long experience are willing to discuss them openly is in itself a healthy sign.
Yesterday
Thank you, Anonymous. Your comment, even if cherry-picking in data covering less than 1% of the world's population, probably sums things up quite neatly.
In response to a comment by Unknown
Fouad commented on "The Season of June : Ken Gibbs"
2 days ago
Finally am happy to see,
A Ditty by the enigmatic DC,
But still don’t know if it is a he or a she,
It’s driving me up a tree.
How nice it would be,
If he/she were free
To sign their name like me.
A Ditty by the enigmatic DC,
But still don’t know if it is a he or a she,
It’s driving me up a tree.
How nice it would be,
If he/she were free
To sign their name like me.
Saad Houry commented on "Nowruz: A message with both sadness and hope by Baquer Namazi"
2 days ago
Dearest Baquer,
"Nowruz reminds us that no winter lasts forever.
Spring returns, light prevails, and hope rises again"
Writing to me a week ago, Wivina reminded me of ML King's quote "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that".
Despite all the darkness, Nowrooz, Eid el Fitr, Easter, and your words inspire us to be hopeful, to look for the light, and to believe in a more just world.
Warm regards to All, Saad
"Nowruz reminds us that no winter lasts forever.
Spring returns, light prevails, and hope rises again"
Writing to me a week ago, Wivina reminded me of ML King's quote "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that".
Despite all the darkness, Nowrooz, Eid el Fitr, Easter, and your words inspire us to be hopeful, to look for the light, and to believe in a more just world.
Warm regards to All, Saad
Fouad Kronfol commented on "Nowruz: A message with both sadness and hope by Baquer Namazi"
2 days ago
Amen !
Ghorbanet,
Fouad
Sent from my iPad
Ghorbanet,
Fouad
Sent from my iPad
Munir Safieldin commented on "Nowruz: A message with both sadness and hope by Baquer Namazi"
2 days ago
Dearest Baquer Namazi,
Nowruz Mubarak to you and your loved ones. May this season of renewal bring peace, strength, and blessings to all. My heartfelt salutations also go to the courageous people of Iran, whose steadfastness continues to inspire admiration across the world.
No words can fully capture the depth of my anger and sorrow at the unprovoked aggression unleashed against the Iranian people. What we are witnessing is a stark and painful reminder of the ugliest face of imperialistic hegemony—an era we hoped humanity had left behind. Under the watch of a world that calls itself “civilized,” the powerful once again impose their will through force, coercion, and disregard for human dignity.
The dignity, composure, and unwavering resolve with which Iran has stood—often alone—against overwhelming pressure commands the utmost respect. What Iran faces today is not merely an attempt at regime change; it is the manifestation of a long-standing, American-backed Israeli ambition to “reshape the Middle East,” a project that ultimately seeks to impose a Greater Israel across the region. Iran has understood these designs with clarity and has stood firmly against them. Tragically, it is now paying the price for resisting two powerful actors whose actions defy reason and morality.
I only wish that the Arab States—and indeed the entire world—would recognize that Iran is defending far more than its own sovereignty. If Iran falls, the rest will inevitably follow. The stakes are not national; they are regional and global.
In recent months, I have written several articles reflecting on these unfolding dynamics, including:
Iran: The Final Obstacle in Israel’s Plan for Middle East Domination (May 2025)
The Imperative to Reform the UN Charter to Establish a New World Order (August 2025)
While I fear that the worst may still lie ahead for the Middle East and the world at large, I continue to pray for the safety of Iran and its remarkable people. My years heading the UNICEF Office in Iran remain among the most cherished of my professional life—filled with warm memories of a nation rich in culture, humanity, and resilience.
May this Nowruz rekindle hope, renew strength, and affirm the enduring truth that no winter—no matter how harsh—can silence the arrival of spring.
Warmest regards,
Munir Safieldin
Nowruz Mubarak to you and your loved ones. May this season of renewal bring peace, strength, and blessings to all. My heartfelt salutations also go to the courageous people of Iran, whose steadfastness continues to inspire admiration across the world.
No words can fully capture the depth of my anger and sorrow at the unprovoked aggression unleashed against the Iranian people. What we are witnessing is a stark and painful reminder of the ugliest face of imperialistic hegemony—an era we hoped humanity had left behind. Under the watch of a world that calls itself “civilized,” the powerful once again impose their will through force, coercion, and disregard for human dignity.
The dignity, composure, and unwavering resolve with which Iran has stood—often alone—against overwhelming pressure commands the utmost respect. What Iran faces today is not merely an attempt at regime change; it is the manifestation of a long-standing, American-backed Israeli ambition to “reshape the Middle East,” a project that ultimately seeks to impose a Greater Israel across the region. Iran has understood these designs with clarity and has stood firmly against them. Tragically, it is now paying the price for resisting two powerful actors whose actions defy reason and morality.
I only wish that the Arab States—and indeed the entire world—would recognize that Iran is defending far more than its own sovereignty. If Iran falls, the rest will inevitably follow. The stakes are not national; they are regional and global.
In recent months, I have written several articles reflecting on these unfolding dynamics, including:
Iran: The Final Obstacle in Israel’s Plan for Middle East Domination (May 2025)
The Imperative to Reform the UN Charter to Establish a New World Order (August 2025)
While I fear that the worst may still lie ahead for the Middle East and the world at large, I continue to pray for the safety of Iran and its remarkable people. My years heading the UNICEF Office in Iran remain among the most cherished of my professional life—filled with warm memories of a nation rich in culture, humanity, and resilience.
May this Nowruz rekindle hope, renew strength, and affirm the enduring truth that no winter—no matter how harsh—can silence the arrival of spring.
Warmest regards,
Munir Safieldin
Rima Salah commented on "Nowruz: A message with both sadness and hope by Baquer Namazi"
2 days ago
Dear Baquer,
Thank you for your moving message. I would like to wish you and your family Nowruz Mobarak.
On this special occasion, we pray that Allah brings lasting peace to Iran, its courageous people, and to our entire region. May this new year be a true promise of renewal and hope for everyone.
Warm Wishes
Rima
Thank you for your moving message. I would like to wish you and your family Nowruz Mobarak.
On this special occasion, we pray that Allah brings lasting peace to Iran, its courageous people, and to our entire region. May this new year be a true promise of renewal and hope for everyone.
Warm Wishes
Rima
Mary Racelis commented on "Nowruz: A message with both sadness and hope by Baquer Namazi"
2 days ago
Dear Baquer,
Seeing how the Iranian people are struggling in their disastrous situation, I think of you as a loyal son of a great civilization, always responsive to ordinary people's needs and concerns. How especially painful it must be for you, your family and our Iranian colleagues to contemplate the current situation.
Nonetheless, as always you remain firm in the conviction that renewal and change will come. I especially appreciate your reminder "that no winter lasts forever, spring returns, light prevails and hope rises again."
Nowruz mobarak! Mary
Seeing how the Iranian people are struggling in their disastrous situation, I think of you as a loyal son of a great civilization, always responsive to ordinary people's needs and concerns. How especially painful it must be for you, your family and our Iranian colleagues to contemplate the current situation.
Nonetheless, as always you remain firm in the conviction that renewal and change will come. I especially appreciate your reminder "that no winter lasts forever, spring returns, light prevails and hope rises again."
Nowruz mobarak! Mary
Unknown commented on "Thomas Ekvall: Adam Smith, Capitalism, and the Arithmetic of Prosperity"
2 days ago
Thomas, the relationship between growth, redistribution, and social outcomes is more complicated than you suggest.
The Nordic countries are a useful example. They combine market economies and sustained growth with high levels of redistribution. The result is both a high standard of living and low inequality. In other words, growth and redistribution have coexisted rather comfortably.
At the other end of the spectrum, Sri Lanka offers another interesting case. It remains a relatively poor country, yet its social indicators—under-five mortality, infant mortality, maternal mortality, and literacy—have long been significantly better than those of many richer countries. This suggests that public policy choices and social investments play an important role in shaping outcomes.
None of this contradicts the importance of growth, but it may indicate that the path from growth to human development is more complex than you imply. Institutions, social policy, and the way resources are distributed matter. The real question may be how growth, governance, and social policy interact to produce better lives for children.
The Nordic countries are a useful example. They combine market economies and sustained growth with high levels of redistribution. The result is both a high standard of living and low inequality. In other words, growth and redistribution have coexisted rather comfortably.
At the other end of the spectrum, Sri Lanka offers another interesting case. It remains a relatively poor country, yet its social indicators—under-five mortality, infant mortality, maternal mortality, and literacy—have long been significantly better than those of many richer countries. This suggests that public policy choices and social investments play an important role in shaping outcomes.
None of this contradicts the importance of growth, but it may indicate that the path from growth to human development is more complex than you imply. Institutions, social policy, and the way resources are distributed matter. The real question may be how growth, governance, and social policy interact to produce better lives for children.
Unknown commented on "Memory: Bias in Ethics and Corruption Discussions in UNICEF? By Rob Carr"
19 Mar 2026
The underhanded tool you refer to was extensively used in place of good management
19 Mar 2026
Thank you for sharing your Nowruz message. It carries both grace and strength. Your message reminds us that dignity, patience and hope are not ideals but values that must sometimes be lived under very difficult circumstances. The thought that “no winter lasts forever” resonates beyond Iran. It is a universal truth, and one that many hold on to in uncertain times. Your confidence in the courage of the Iranian people is inspiring. May this Nowruz truly bring renewal and better days ahead.
19 Mar 2026
Last week’s issue of The Economist carried an article on the Green Party of England and Wales. Their stated priority on economic growth appears to be simple: stop pursuing it. They also lament the sacrifices made “at the altar of the growth fetish.”
If this is the economic thinking circulating within a party represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and one that has even managed to win a recent by-election, it may be optimistic, perhaps wildly so, to imagine that the development community will suddenly rediscover the rather old-fashioned insights of Adam Smith.
After all, Smith merely suggested that when people are allowed to produce, trade, and keep some reward for their effort, economies tend to grow. Apparently, that idea now risks being dismissed as an embarrassing relic of the eighteenth century.
If this is the economic thinking circulating within a party represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and one that has even managed to win a recent by-election, it may be optimistic, perhaps wildly so, to imagine that the development community will suddenly rediscover the rather old-fashioned insights of Adam Smith.
After all, Smith merely suggested that when people are allowed to produce, trade, and keep some reward for their effort, economies tend to grow. Apparently, that idea now risks being dismissed as an embarrassing relic of the eighteenth century.
19 Mar 2026
The first ever UNICEF ethics officer, after the position was created, was the former ethics officer of a very large public service cooperation in the Metropolitan Area of New York. She was enthusiastic but resigned after three months. In her own words: ‘Senior management was not serious’.
19 Mar 2026
From what I was seeing in my last couple of years with UNICEF and even on social media today and feedback from Comms staff I know - there is a premium right now among some rising Reps having their face all over social media posts - to show they are making an impact. In essence, a large number of social media hits vs running sound programs is the way some think they can get ahead of the game. Anything goes for some. Like people going on holiday and taking dumb selfies - we lunge forward with photo ops over substance. I even heard and knew of cases where the loudest and most connected voices in the room were kept during the recent global cuts - while quiet staff who worked hard lost theirs posts.
19 Mar 2026
The problem with ethics is that it is much easier to focus n a driver's log book than if a regional director berated staff, hired buddies, or held a RMT that was excessive. I can give countless examples of RDs with such conduct with no consequences vs drivers punished for log book dicscrepencies. UNICEF has been penny wise and pound foolish in cracking down on unethical behavior aiming its sights on log books vs extravagant RMTs, global meetings, or other expenses. Of course there are some examples of some high level dismissals - but these are few and far between. But for a driver, if not dismissed or sanctioned - an office can simply abolish their posts during the CPD or MTR in the name budget cuts- one of the most underhanded tools in the arsenal.
18 Mar 2026
It is useful to hear that perspective, and I know that serious efforts were made at times to address misconduct.
However, colleagues who worked in the system over the decades will remember cases that were handled rather differently. Some involved repayment arrangements for misappropriated funds; others ended with quiet departures; and some resulted in individuals effectively leaving the workplace while remaining on the payroll. These episodes left a strong impression on the staff who witnessed them.
That is why Rob’s observation resonates. The issue was rarely the absence of rules or procedures. The difficulty was the consistency with which they were applied.
Most of us who spent long careers in the system can recall both sides of the picture: instances where action was taken decisively, and others where the resolution was discreet, acknowledging that record is not about settling old scores. It is about understanding why discussions of ethics sometimes provoke a degree of scepticism.
However, colleagues who worked in the system over the decades will remember cases that were handled rather differently. Some involved repayment arrangements for misappropriated funds; others ended with quiet departures; and some resulted in individuals effectively leaving the workplace while remaining on the payroll. These episodes left a strong impression on the staff who witnessed them.
That is why Rob’s observation resonates. The issue was rarely the absence of rules or procedures. The difficulty was the consistency with which they were applied.
Most of us who spent long careers in the system can recall both sides of the picture: instances where action was taken decisively, and others where the resolution was discreet, acknowledging that record is not about settling old scores. It is about understanding why discussions of ethics sometimes provoke a degree of scepticism.
In response to a comment by Fouad
Fouad commented on "Memory: Bias in Ethics and Corruption Discussions in UNICEF? By Rob Carr"
18 Mar 2026
When I was Director of personnel in the late 80’s and early 90’s there was no Ethics Office but we treated misdeeds by staff more seriously, I personally fired three Reps and made the case for a fiourth dismissal. We worked very closely with the Audit Office so that cases were well documented and verified. Staff members at higher grades were not given a free ride .
18 Mar 2026
You put your finger on a central point. Ethical breaches occur in every organisation, public, private, and humanitarian. The test is not whether they happen, but how they are handled.
When misconduct is confronted openly, investigated properly, and followed by clear consequences, the organisation usually emerges stronger. Staff understand that standards matter, and trust can be rebuilt.
But when cases are quietly buried, managed through discreet transfers, or settled with comfortable exits, the damage spreads far beyond the original offence. The message received by staff is unmistakable: appearance matters more than integrity. Over time, this corrodes morale, weakens accountability, and ultimately undermines the very mission the organisation claims to serve.
UNICEF was better at dealing with minor infringements than with misconduct higher up the hierarchy. That imbalance is not unique to UNICEF; it is a common institutional reflex. But it is precisely the kind of reflex that organisations committed to ethical leadership must work hardest to overcome.
Transparency may be uncomfortable in the short term. Silence, however, is what slowly eats organisations from within.
When misconduct is confronted openly, investigated properly, and followed by clear consequences, the organisation usually emerges stronger. Staff understand that standards matter, and trust can be rebuilt.
But when cases are quietly buried, managed through discreet transfers, or settled with comfortable exits, the damage spreads far beyond the original offence. The message received by staff is unmistakable: appearance matters more than integrity. Over time, this corrodes morale, weakens accountability, and ultimately undermines the very mission the organisation claims to serve.
UNICEF was better at dealing with minor infringements than with misconduct higher up the hierarchy. That imbalance is not unique to UNICEF; it is a common institutional reflex. But it is precisely the kind of reflex that organisations committed to ethical leadership must work hardest to overcome.
Transparency may be uncomfortable in the short term. Silence, however, is what slowly eats organisations from within.
Joachim Theis commented on "Where airplanes live another day – or go to die by Joachim Theis"
18 Mar 2026
Thank you, Macoura. There are good reasons why UN security limits which airlines staff can use for official travel.
In response to a comment by Macoura Oulare
18 Mar 2026
It is genuinely encouraging to hear this perspective from a country office. That alone suggests the conversation is beginning to reconnect with reality.
You might consider testing the waters by putting a simple question on the agenda of your next CO meeting: how, exactly, do our programmes relate to the country’s broader economic trajectory? Not as a challenge, but as a point of curiosity.
Even a modest shift, linking what we do to how economies grow, how jobs are created, and how households actually escape poverty, could open up a much-needed new line of thinking.
After all, if children’s lives are to improve sustainably, they must grow up in economies that are themselves growing. Bringing that perspective into the room would already be a meaningful step forward.
You might consider testing the waters by putting a simple question on the agenda of your next CO meeting: how, exactly, do our programmes relate to the country’s broader economic trajectory? Not as a challenge, but as a point of curiosity.
Even a modest shift, linking what we do to how economies grow, how jobs are created, and how households actually escape poverty, could open up a much-needed new line of thinking.
After all, if children’s lives are to improve sustainably, they must grow up in economies that are themselves growing. Bringing that perspective into the room would already be a meaningful step forward.
In response to a comment by Unknown
Unknown commented on "What the Leadership at UNICEF Needs Now. By Edgard Seikaly"
18 Mar 2026
Our leaders seem to have been impervious to our suggestions. Maybe we need new leaders.
D.C. commented on "The Season of June : Ken Gibbs"
18 Mar 2026
Dear Fouad, you’ve taken the crown,
With rhymes that cascade and refuse to slow down.
From June into snow, from grain into pain—
You’ve turned Ken’s small verse to a lyrical train.
But lest we all drown in this generous stream,
Let’s toast to good wit—and keep it concise, I deem
With rhymes that cascade and refuse to slow down.
From June into snow, from grain into pain—
You’ve turned Ken’s small verse to a lyrical train.
But lest we all drown in this generous stream,
Let’s toast to good wit—and keep it concise, I deem
18 Mar 2026
Rob, you are right that management is not something one acquires “all of a sudden,” nor is it something that can be parachuted in without context. A UNICEF Representative who has no grasp of stunting, early childhood development, or partner due diligence will struggle to make sound decisions. Subject credibility matters.
But the reverse problem has been at least as damaging: we have too often assumed that technical excellence naturally translates into managerial competence. It doesn’t. Managing a programme is not the same as managing an organisation. One is about depth; the other is about trade-offs, prioritisation, people, and accountability under constraint.
What we ended up with, in many cases, was losing an excellent nutritionist and gaining a mediocre manager.
So perhaps the issue is not “professional managers” versus “technical experts,” but that we never treated management as a profession in its own right. We neither selected for it properly nor trained for it seriously.
But the reverse problem has been at least as damaging: we have too often assumed that technical excellence naturally translates into managerial competence. It doesn’t. Managing a programme is not the same as managing an organisation. One is about depth; the other is about trade-offs, prioritisation, people, and accountability under constraint.
What we ended up with, in many cases, was losing an excellent nutritionist and gaining a mediocre manager.
So perhaps the issue is not “professional managers” versus “technical experts,” but that we never treated management as a profession in its own right. We neither selected for it properly nor trained for it seriously.
In response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Unknown commented on "Thomas Ekvall: Adam Smith, Capitalism, and the Arithmetic of Prosperity"
18 Mar 2026
What continues to worry me as a current staffer at CO level is that economic growth is invisible as a concept for how children's lives are to be improved. It's just not on the radar. We continue to speak as if the only thing that will help is our programmes.
Fouad commented on "The Season of June : Ken Gibbs"
18 Mar 2026
Four days have passed and no reactions! Where are the rejoinders ?
18 Mar 2026
The question of why this has taken so long to recognise is perhaps less about ideology than about institutional culture. Over time, large parts of the development system became comfortable with frameworks that prioritise allocation and intention over outcomes. Moral urgency, bureaucratic caution, and shifting intellectual fashions may have crowded out a more grounded focus on how development actually occurs. This suggests a drift away from the empirical core of the problem: that growth, institutions, and incentives are not optional components of development. They are foundational. The challenge now is to recover that clarity.
In response to a comment by Unknown
18 Mar 2026
I agree we should have better managers. But fail to understand how someone can be a "professional manager" all of the sudden without having done anything before that? Surely it would help a UNICEF Rep to understand stunting or the value of early childhood development or NGO due diligence before being responsible for them? UNICEF needs to groom managers - there are nutritionists and WASH officers who have management skills and inclinations - they manage teams, partnerships and relationships every day - how can they can geared up to become Reps? Certainly the "management excellence" courses offered by UNICEF has not produced stellar managers in each case? And what about the glut of "managers" who spent most of their careers at HQ or Regional office? What are they managing? What are the qualities we want in a manager and how do we get the right fit ? Do we go out and hire managers - from where? Do we try to upgrade the skills of our staff? What do we want ? An inspiring visionary who may be bad at HACT or a HACT expert who has no vision? A good talker at an embassy reception? An expert on risk assessment and audit readiness? Who does all those things well? It is a conundrum.
In response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Rob Carr commented on "OBSERVING THE OBSERVERS (by Myra Rudin)"
18 Mar 2026
Thanks for sharing - one of the most fun things about museums for me is people watching. I would probably relish a job as a museum guard just to watch people all day - but I would likely not enforce all the rules.
Unknown commented on "Thomas Ekvall: Adam Smith, Capitalism, and the Arithmetic of Prosperity"
18 Mar 2026
The last question is intriguing. Were we cowed by ideological bullies with little knowledge of development?
17 Mar 2026
Detlef, your summary of what we have been saying about development aid over the past several years is quite accurate.
Aid may work where the fundamentals are already in place: governments committed to growth, a high degree of accountability, corruption under control and a willingness to let economic activity breathe. In those settings, aid could work well. But on the other hand, would it be needed?
Where those conditions are absent, aid tends to drift. It becomes, as you suggest, closer to short-term relief than long-term development, and not infrequently weakens the very accountability it is meant to support.
What is perhaps more curious is that this is not a particularly new insight. It sits comfortably alongside what Adam Smith observed centuries ago: that incentives, institutions, and the freedom to exchange are not peripheral to development; they are central.
And yet, as a system, we have often behaved as if these conditions were secondary, even to the allocation formula itself.
So yes, your formulation captures the essence of the issue. The lingering question is why it took us so long and why it hasn't been acted on yet.
Aid may work where the fundamentals are already in place: governments committed to growth, a high degree of accountability, corruption under control and a willingness to let economic activity breathe. In those settings, aid could work well. But on the other hand, would it be needed?
Where those conditions are absent, aid tends to drift. It becomes, as you suggest, closer to short-term relief than long-term development, and not infrequently weakens the very accountability it is meant to support.
What is perhaps more curious is that this is not a particularly new insight. It sits comfortably alongside what Adam Smith observed centuries ago: that incentives, institutions, and the freedom to exchange are not peripheral to development; they are central.
And yet, as a system, we have often behaved as if these conditions were secondary, even to the allocation formula itself.
So yes, your formulation captures the essence of the issue. The lingering question is why it took us so long and why it hasn't been acted on yet.
In response to a comment by Detlef Palm
17 Mar 2026
Thanks Oscar for your kind comment. No, I am not in Valencia, as a matter of fact it's 25 years ago that we experienced las Fallas, I didn't mean to imply that burning the fallas is a sad event, but at the same time most are worth preserving, But then that's not tradition and where could they be exhibited? Enjoy la Crema.
In response to a comment by Oscar Fernandez
17 Mar 2026
Development unfolds across many fronts at once, from health and education to economic growth and environmental protection. Economic growth underpins progress in all these areas.
Development aid should be understood as an investment in a country’s future. Like any investment, it is most effective where the prospects for success are strongest. Where governments are firmly committed to economic growth, the rule of law, accountability, and good governance, aid can be a catalyst for long-term development. In poorly governed states, by contrast, it is often reduced to short-term charity, yielding little lasting benefit and, in some cases, weakening governments’ accountability to their own citizens.
The formula commonly used by UNICEF and the United Nations for allocating aid budgets is charitable driven; it distributes the money indiscriminately to countries, regardless of how serious their governments are about economic growth and good governance. In fact, those with the worst governance receive the most money.
Development aid should be understood as an investment in a country’s future. Like any investment, it is most effective where the prospects for success are strongest. Where governments are firmly committed to economic growth, the rule of law, accountability, and good governance, aid can be a catalyst for long-term development. In poorly governed states, by contrast, it is often reduced to short-term charity, yielding little lasting benefit and, in some cases, weakening governments’ accountability to their own citizens.
The formula commonly used by UNICEF and the United Nations for allocating aid budgets is charitable driven; it distributes the money indiscriminately to countries, regardless of how serious their governments are about economic growth and good governance. In fact, those with the worst governance receive the most money.
Dina Craissati commented on "Mini-reunion Gianni Murzi and Dina Craissati in Bologna, March 2026"
17 Mar 2026
Thank you Soji. It was a great team in Nigeria !
In response to a comment by Soji Adeniyi
Dina Craissati commented on "Mini-reunion Gianni Murzi and Dina Craissati in Bologna, March 2026"
17 Mar 2026
Thank you ya Mary. Wahshani !
In response to a comment by Mary Sidawi
Dina Craissati commented on "Mini-reunion Gianni Murzi and Dina Craissati in Bologna, March 2026"
17 Mar 2026
Dina Craissati
In response to a comment by Mary Sidawi
17 Mar 2026
Hey Horst, It’s interesting that you chose to write about the Fallas in Valencia. I’ve also reached out to the editors, hoping they will share our experiences during the Fallas in 2026. I must admit, I am pleasantly surprised that you focused on this particular festival. Are you currently in Valencia? If so, I would love to meet up for some Agua de Valencia. Also, I want to clarify that the burning of the Ninots is not something to be perceived as sad. In fact, it signifies a vibrant and joyous culmination of the Fallas celebration. This marks my fifth year participating, and every time is a unique experience steeped in culture and community. By the way, your picture of the Chaplin Minot, I took the same picture, that's right in front of our best friend's hotel, the Venecia hotel. Do you know that location? I am a few blocks from it.
17 Mar 2026
Memorable photo story Theis and UNICEF was grooming an aeronautic expert! The story of old or recycled planes tells me that they helped in these described places where the needs were present, but also the risks were also higher for the users, including ourselves travelling to these remote and sometimes difficult access places. I am looking back to some my trips/missions in some of these countries. Congrats for keeping these lovely memories of yours and remembering us some part of our joint journeys.
Macoura Oulare commented on "Zimbabwe XUNICEF Reunion: Sneak Peak"
17 Mar 2026
Wonderful time in Zim. I am sure you enjoyed it. Many of us will join the next reunion.
Unknown commented on "Memory : Battling the UNCT with DATA - by Rob Carr"
17 Mar 2026
Perhaps it would help if UNICEF hired professional managers as opposed to promoting nutritionists, anthropologists and generalists into managerial positions.
In response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Susan Muza commented on "Zimbabwe XUNICEF Reunion: Sneak Peak"
17 Mar 2026
Thanks, Tom, for the sneak peak, more photos, videos and the report are coming soon. Great fun we had at Victoria Falls, thanks to the 59 participants who were able to participate. We are already looking forward to the next reunion! Susan
Siping commented on "Zimbabwe XUNICEF Reunion: Sneak Peak"
17 Mar 2026
Nice photos of the reunion. I saw you Piyali, you look the same as we met during my farewell in Kabul September 2017.
Unknown commented on "Thomas Ekvall: Adam Smith, Capitalism, and the Arithmetic of Prosperity"
17 Mar 2026
There is something uncomfortable about discovering, after a long career in development, that Adam Smith may still have more to teach us than the frameworks we spent decades developing.
Smith’s central insight was not ideological. It was observational. When individuals are allowed to specialise, exchange, and retain the fruits of their effort, economies grow. And when economies grow, the resources required for health, education, and social protection begin to materialise.
This is not a controversial proposition. It is, in fact, embarrassingly obvious. Yet within the UN development system, it was not treated as the organising principle it should have been.
Smith’s central insight was not ideological. It was observational. When individuals are allowed to specialise, exchange, and retain the fruits of their effort, economies grow. And when economies grow, the resources required for health, education, and social protection begin to materialise.
This is not a controversial proposition. It is, in fact, embarrassingly obvious. Yet within the UN development system, it was not treated as the organising principle it should have been.
17 Mar 2026
First off, review the entire constellation of UN agencies - probably 80% add no value at all and are not even sustainable or logical and with many overlapping mandates many can be consolidated. Take for instance the merge of UNIFEM and 2 other gender related Un entities around 2010ish. At that time there was much hand wringing about how this would dilute and bring to an end UNs work on gender. Well , they were merged and guess what - the work continued under UN Women. We tend to get worked up over turf like the world will come to an end of Agency X or pet project Y is dropped or scaled back. Also eliminate the clunky UNRC system - and have UN coordination be a rotating chair at country level. Next up: NO MORE regional offices of any kind. If we want to interact with regional bodies - insert a few staff into that body to lobby or add inputs. Lastly, review the range of programs - how many sectors as UNICEF we want to engage and in how many different countries. Thise few things would drastically reduce the size and appetite of the beast - and then we can see if we can reduce the invoice.
In response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
17 Mar 2026
Reading this, you can not escape the conclusion that the system’s present “funding crisis” was not imposed from the outside, but carefully engineered from within over many years. We built layer upon layer of coordination, reform, and oversight. Each layer was vigorously defended in the name of coherence, none improved delivery, and Africa fell further behind.
For a long time, the system proved remarkably resilient at sustaining this arrangement. Budgets held, structures grew, and dissent was effectively suppressed. But the truth has a way of asserting itself eventually.
When the cuts finally came, they were treated as an external shock. In reality, they looked rather more like a delayed invoice for services largely rendered to ourselves.
How do we, with this background, save our wonderful organisation?
For a long time, the system proved remarkably resilient at sustaining this arrangement. Budgets held, structures grew, and dissent was effectively suppressed. But the truth has a way of asserting itself eventually.
When the cuts finally came, they were treated as an external shock. In reality, they looked rather more like a delayed invoice for services largely rendered to ourselves.
How do we, with this background, save our wonderful organisation?
17 Mar 2026
Furthemore ,I continued with UNICEF for another 5 years after the UN stopped piloting and tinkering --based on what they 'learned' from 8 pilots (how was that learning done??) they rolled out the new reforms that all UN country teams had to adhere to. It came out as guidance, tools and with a slew of UNRCs and staff to "implement". Furthermore, each UN agency agreed that every grants from our donors would have a "coordination levy" of 1 % that would go to the UNRC system. They have raked in MILLIONS from that. UNRC offices worldwide exploded with coordination staff - partnerships, coordinations, M&E , comms and even economists. Ironically, as UN agencies cut 1000s of staff due to budget cuts - UNRC offices grew and grew. In one of the South Pacific Island countries - the UNRC office was larger than any of the UN agencies that they were supposed to coordinate. I would often sit in coordination meetings (there were many ) while I was in Fiji and the majority of the UN staff in those meetings were UNRC staff - not staff of UN agencies. Completely insane - I don't see how this could turn out good for the UN. The UNRC system brings nothing to the table - they don't help manage overlaps or agencies, they don't help fill gaps, they don't raise funds (The ONE FUND experience was a colossal flop - no donors do this now) and they create more work for UN staff in shrinking agencies by creating new frameworks, asking inputs for the UNRC equivalent of RAM (UNINFO), forcing proposals for joint programs, and asking for UN inputs to the UNRC annual report - for which no one knows who is the audience. One of my motivations to retire abit early was to get out from under the UNRC system yoke - it was crushing UN agencies and became a treadmill we all had to run on chasing a proverbial carrot on a stick that grew longer and longer as the carrot wilted in the heat and a bite of the wilted carrot was ever elusive.
16 Mar 2026
Mahesh, you are right to remind us that economic life did not begin with interest rates, capital markets, or even clearly defined property rights. Human societies have taken many forms, including tribal, feudal, and pastoral, each with its own logic and constraints. That is precisely the point.
What Adam Smith did was not to claim that capital “fell from the sky,” but to observe that once individuals are allowed to exchange, specialise, and retain the fruits of their effort, certain patterns emerge with remarkable consistency. Surpluses appear. Those surpluses are saved or reinvested. Over time, what we call “capital” takes shape, not by decree, but as a consequence of human behaviour under conditions of relative freedom.
Interest rates are not acts of God, but neither are they arbitrary inventions. They reflect time preference, risk, and the opportunity cost of using resources in one way rather than another. These are not ideological constructs; they arise where people make choices.
You are also right that commodities do not “grow on trees”. They are produced. And production, beyond the most basic subsistence level, depends on organisation, incentives, and increasingly, capital accumulation.
The historical systems you mention, feudalism, tribalism, and so on, were not alternatives that delivered sustained, broad-based prosperity. They were, in most cases, systems of hierarchy and constraint, where economic life was bound by status and coercion.
What distinguishes what we now call capitalism, or as we seem to prefer, “free enterprise”, is not that it was invented at a particular moment, but that it gradually removed those constraints. It allowed strangers to trade, individuals to invest, and ideas to scale.
"Arithmetic” matters. Once reinvestment and compounding take hold, the difference between systems becomes dramatic over time.
So yes, times change, and systems evolve. But not all systems are equal in their ability to generate sustained improvements in living standards.
The question is not if capitalism had a beginning in history. The question is whether any alternative system has yet demonstrated a comparable capacity to lift large populations out of poverty over the long run.
So far, the empirical record is rather one-sided.
What Adam Smith did was not to claim that capital “fell from the sky,” but to observe that once individuals are allowed to exchange, specialise, and retain the fruits of their effort, certain patterns emerge with remarkable consistency. Surpluses appear. Those surpluses are saved or reinvested. Over time, what we call “capital” takes shape, not by decree, but as a consequence of human behaviour under conditions of relative freedom.
Interest rates are not acts of God, but neither are they arbitrary inventions. They reflect time preference, risk, and the opportunity cost of using resources in one way rather than another. These are not ideological constructs; they arise where people make choices.
You are also right that commodities do not “grow on trees”. They are produced. And production, beyond the most basic subsistence level, depends on organisation, incentives, and increasingly, capital accumulation.
The historical systems you mention, feudalism, tribalism, and so on, were not alternatives that delivered sustained, broad-based prosperity. They were, in most cases, systems of hierarchy and constraint, where economic life was bound by status and coercion.
What distinguishes what we now call capitalism, or as we seem to prefer, “free enterprise”, is not that it was invented at a particular moment, but that it gradually removed those constraints. It allowed strangers to trade, individuals to invest, and ideas to scale.
"Arithmetic” matters. Once reinvestment and compounding take hold, the difference between systems becomes dramatic over time.
So yes, times change, and systems evolve. But not all systems are equal in their ability to generate sustained improvements in living standards.
The question is not if capitalism had a beginning in history. The question is whether any alternative system has yet demonstrated a comparable capacity to lift large populations out of poverty over the long run.
So far, the empirical record is rather one-sided.
In response to a comment by Mahesh Patel
Joachim Theis commented on "Mini-reunion Gianni Murzi and Dina Craissati in Bologna, March 2026"
16 Mar 2026
Wonderful photos.
Mahesh Patel commented on "Thomas Ekvall: Adam Smith, Capitalism, and the Arithmetic of Prosperity"
16 Mar 2026
Oh my!
Where did the 'rate of interest' come from? God?
Did capital exist before it could be owned?
Before you defined a system that could name it?
Did commodities just grow on trees?
What happened to tribalism and feudalism?
Not to mention minor systems such as socialism and pastoralism?
Times Change... All things must pass.
Try walking along Broadway in your Natural State these days!
Where did the 'rate of interest' come from? God?
Did capital exist before it could be owned?
Before you defined a system that could name it?
Did commodities just grow on trees?
What happened to tribalism and feudalism?
Not to mention minor systems such as socialism and pastoralism?
Times Change... All things must pass.
Try walking along Broadway in your Natural State these days!
16 Mar 2026
The most frustrating aspect of this story (thanks, Rob, for the kudos) was the obliviousness of regional offices, concerned divisions and UNICEF senior management towards the direction of the reform, which turned the UN development system into an even bigger bureaucratic monster than it already was.
Any analysis sent from UNICEF Albania was ignored, emails were not even acknowledged, help in negotiations with the RC was never offered, interagency evaluation glossed over the troubles. ‘Delivering as One’ failed spectacularly, and nobody drew a lesson. As a pilot, we never were invited to a serious debate by HQ, and I can only conclude that UN reform was never seriously debated by top management.
It is not only about how to get or distribute funding among UN agencies. It was about the purpose of the UN Development System, and the best use of its resources.
I tried to capture many lessons here: Rethinking UNICEF. Many thought it was a good laugh, and continued to strut along without change of course, until the funding crash came. Even now, they seem to be strutting along in the same old direction….
Any analysis sent from UNICEF Albania was ignored, emails were not even acknowledged, help in negotiations with the RC was never offered, interagency evaluation glossed over the troubles. ‘Delivering as One’ failed spectacularly, and nobody drew a lesson. As a pilot, we never were invited to a serious debate by HQ, and I can only conclude that UN reform was never seriously debated by top management.
It is not only about how to get or distribute funding among UN agencies. It was about the purpose of the UN Development System, and the best use of its resources.
I tried to capture many lessons here: Rethinking UNICEF. Many thought it was a good laugh, and continued to strut along without change of course, until the funding crash came. Even now, they seem to be strutting along in the same old direction….
16 Mar 2026
Indeed it was frustrating. But what made it so extra annoying was we would normally attract those funds based on our track record with those same donors who funded the ONE FUND. Often times trust was built up over years of collaboration - joint field visits with that donor, joint meetings with government on status, reports, evaluations - but all that was thrown out the window so the UNRC and some hired UNDP expert could allocate funds based on nothing more than a 2 page proposal.
Kutloano commented on "Memory : Battling the UNCT with DATA - by Rob Carr"
16 Mar 2026
To this day, agencies still fight over allocations. It can be so frustrating.
Carina Prakke commented on "Zimbabwe XUNICEF Reunion: Sneak Peak"
16 Mar 2026
Oh those photos look like you timed it perfectly for maximum waterfall. Wonderful!
Kutloano commented on "Zimbabwe XUNICEF Reunion: Sneak Peak"
16 Mar 2026
Sure looks like it was a great fun. I hope to join the next one
Gianni commented on "Mini-reunion Gianni Murzi and Dina Craissati in Bologna, March 2026"
16 Mar 2026
Thank you dear Soji. Nigeria left indelible memories in my heart. So good to see your name as part of the editorial team! Keep it up!!
In response to a comment by Soji Adeniyi
Unknown commented on "Thomas Ekvall: Adam Smith, Capitalism, and the Arithmetic of Prosperity"
16 Mar 2026
What is striking in this discussion is how little the most distressing facts are allowed to disturb the development industry’s self‑confidence. After sixty years of massive aid flows, the uncomfortable truth is that the African countries receiving the most assistance are further behind the rest of the world than they were at independence. In several cases, they are worse off than they were under colonial administration.
It is not mysterious - aid cannot substitute for the institutional foundations of prosperity: property rights, rule of law, open markets, and accountable government. Where these are absent, aid entrenches the very systems that hold countries back. It props up political elites, subsidises inefficient state structures, and reduces the pressure for reform.
This is not an argument for abandoning Africa. It is an argument for abandoning the comforting illusion that external money can compensate for weak institutions or misguided economic policies. The countries that have risen, South Korea, Singapore, and Mauritius, did so not because outsiders rescued them, but because they built systems that rewarded work, investment, and enterprise.
The development industry needs to rethink not only its methods, but its assumptions. At some point, the absence of progress must become a verdict in itself.
It is not mysterious - aid cannot substitute for the institutional foundations of prosperity: property rights, rule of law, open markets, and accountable government. Where these are absent, aid entrenches the very systems that hold countries back. It props up political elites, subsidises inefficient state structures, and reduces the pressure for reform.
This is not an argument for abandoning Africa. It is an argument for abandoning the comforting illusion that external money can compensate for weak institutions or misguided economic policies. The countries that have risen, South Korea, Singapore, and Mauritius, did so not because outsiders rescued them, but because they built systems that rewarded work, investment, and enterprise.
The development industry needs to rethink not only its methods, but its assumptions. At some point, the absence of progress must become a verdict in itself.
16 Mar 2026
So good to see Gianni and Dina enjoying their pastime of professional photography in good health! Indeed it’s a mini reunion! Both of them passed through Nigeria at different times but left indelible memories! Dina fondly called DC by the Education team and Gianni moved the team from Lagos to Abuja in record time! We celebrate both of you!!! Cheers
Unknown commented on "Thomas Ekvall: Adam Smith, Capitalism, and the Arithmetic of Prosperity"
16 Mar 2026
The Soviet Union gave Nkrumah Lenin's Peace Prize. They must have considered him a good communist.
Rohini de silva commented on "A Word of Thanks by Myra Rudin"
16 Mar 2026
Thank you to the team. You kept us informed and connected.
16 Mar 2026
John, I broadly agree with much of what you say. The term “free enterprise” does capture what Adam Smith had in mind more accurately than the caricature often associated with the word “capitalism.” Smith himself was not defending the kind of mercantile monopolies represented by the East India Company. In fact, he criticised them fiercely.
Your point about Nkrumah is also important. The early post-independence belief that political power alone could deliver prosperity led many countries toward state control rather than institutional development. South Korea chose a different path, and the divergence in outcomes has been remarkable.
I also recognise your point about corruption becoming normalised as a kind of “operating cost” in some systems. That, too, is ultimately an institutional problem. Without the rule of law and competition, the incentives drift in that direction.
Your point about Nkrumah is also important. The early post-independence belief that political power alone could deliver prosperity led many countries toward state control rather than institutional development. South Korea chose a different path, and the divergence in outcomes has been remarkable.
I also recognise your point about corruption becoming normalised as a kind of “operating cost” in some systems. That, too, is ultimately an institutional problem. Without the rule of law and competition, the incentives drift in that direction.
In response to a comment by John Skoda
John Skoda commented on "Thomas Ekvall: Adam Smith, Capitalism, and the Arithmetic of Prosperity"
16 Mar 2026
In terms of semantics neither capitalism nor communism are attractive to me; however, the term 'free enterprise' seems a better word.
In history the laissez-faire form of capitalism as practiced by the East India Company certainly gave it a bad name; and, that may be one reason development theorists shied away from it.
Governments must provide regulation, security and strive to prevent oppression (i.e. allow freedom to compete and operate natural monopolies as public utilities).
As to Ghana, they got off to a bad start at independence when Kwame Nkrumah said: "Seek ye first the kingdom of politics and all things shall be added onto you."
This was the gospel of 'state capture'; and, subsequently, the looting/milking of the state resources. Unfortunately other Africa politicians adopted Nkrumah's motto.
I never worked in Korea; however, those who did, have mentioned to me the exceptionally strong desire of Koreans to learn and to work hard to improve.
What one might consider and label as corruption is, in too many countries, just considered as an overhead, a tax or even the oil in the engine of business.
Among UN staff there were many from former colonial powers who seemed to feel guilty about their county's past; and, bent over to apologetically appease the local authorities.
In some cases, this resulted in not being willing to call things by the right name.
UNDP missed the boat early on when they tried to adopt each and every country's priorities, as set forth by local planning commission, as UNDP's priorities.
If followed too slavishly, this would deprive a UN agency of its own priorities regardless of it own reason to exist. In contrast, UNICEF stands out in its ability to assist both sides even in civil wars.
Furthermore, most central planning has been 'top-down'; and, the underlying assumptions have very often proved to be erroneous.
In history the laissez-faire form of capitalism as practiced by the East India Company certainly gave it a bad name; and, that may be one reason development theorists shied away from it.
Governments must provide regulation, security and strive to prevent oppression (i.e. allow freedom to compete and operate natural monopolies as public utilities).
As to Ghana, they got off to a bad start at independence when Kwame Nkrumah said: "Seek ye first the kingdom of politics and all things shall be added onto you."
This was the gospel of 'state capture'; and, subsequently, the looting/milking of the state resources. Unfortunately other Africa politicians adopted Nkrumah's motto.
I never worked in Korea; however, those who did, have mentioned to me the exceptionally strong desire of Koreans to learn and to work hard to improve.
What one might consider and label as corruption is, in too many countries, just considered as an overhead, a tax or even the oil in the engine of business.
Among UN staff there were many from former colonial powers who seemed to feel guilty about their county's past; and, bent over to apologetically appease the local authorities.
In some cases, this resulted in not being willing to call things by the right name.
UNDP missed the boat early on when they tried to adopt each and every country's priorities, as set forth by local planning commission, as UNDP's priorities.
If followed too slavishly, this would deprive a UN agency of its own priorities regardless of it own reason to exist. In contrast, UNICEF stands out in its ability to assist both sides even in civil wars.
Furthermore, most central planning has been 'top-down'; and, the underlying assumptions have very often proved to be erroneous.
16 Mar 2026
I should have added that I am not against aid and social protection per se. However, I have for decades had problems with the way aid was practised and social protection systems were designed.
In response to a comment by Unknown
16 Mar 2026
There may well still be debates within academia over development models; however, the one favouring redistribution has won hands down for decades.
In response to a comment by Unknown
16 Mar 2026
Thomas, the claim that the LSE (and academia more broadly) has drifted from classical liberal economics toward more interventionist models of development certainly has some merit. But your account arguably simplifies a more complex intellectual evolution.
Many development economists influenced by those shifts still debate the role of markets, institutions and incentives. Within academia, there remain strong voices arguing for market-based approaches alongside critiques of bureaucratic development models.
Your critique of aid and social protection reflects an important ideological current, but it may understate the diversity of views that still exist within the field.
Many development economists influenced by those shifts still debate the role of markets, institutions and incentives. Within academia, there remain strong voices arguing for market-based approaches alongside critiques of bureaucratic development models.
Your critique of aid and social protection reflects an important ideological current, but it may understate the diversity of views that still exist within the field.
In response to a comment by Unknown
Unknown commented on "Watch the Sun Rise: Detlef Palm"
16 Mar 2026
I did it! The excitement was to wake up and the wait!!😂
Horst Max Cerni commented on "A Word of Thanks by Myra Rudin"
15 Mar 2026
Thank you, Myra, for these words of thanks. I think you spoke for all of us: A BIG THANK-YOU TO THE TEAM!. Your efforts have been very much appreciated. I hope you'll stay in touch and continue participating in our blog.
15 Mar 2026
It is striking that at the London School of Economics, wealth creation was gradually treated as a lesser concern than its redistribution. LSE, and academia at large, has skewed leftward over many decades is not a feeling; it is reflected in the shift of curriculum. As the 20th century progressed, the classical liberal economic tradition, represented by Ricardo and Stuart Mill, which once defined the LSE, was gradually sidelined by a focus on social engineering. LSE moved from asking "How do we create an environment where a billion people can trade their way out of poverty?" to asking "How can bureaucracies manage the symptoms of poverty?" This created a generation of development professionals who viewed the state as the primary actor and the market as a chaotic force that needed taming. The tragedy of the UNICEF mindset you mentioned is that it mistakes outcomes for engines. Health and Education are the dividends of a productive economy. Economic freedom is what pays those dividends. Institutions focused on social protection in countries that had not yet produced anything to protect. The reason this conversation feels uncomfortable is that it suggests much of the aid industry has been counterproductive. If you ignore Adam Smith’s lessons on property rights and competition, aid and technical assistance just become a way to subsidise inefficient state monopolies. The LSE and its peers didn't just "play down" growth; they treated the very mechanics of capitalism, competition, profit, and creative destruction with a high degree of academic suspicion.
In response to a comment by Unknown
15 Mar 2026
Fascinating photo story and discussion, Never jnew UNICEF's involvement with planes, except for deliveries.
One of my memorable experiences with flying in a Russian plane was in the Ukraine, when my wife an I were travelling from Odessa to Kiev. We had the seats at the emergency exit. There was a string hanging across the window and a sign saying "in case of emergency, pull string". Fortunately we had no emergency.
One of my memorable experiences with flying in a Russian plane was in the Ukraine, when my wife an I were travelling from Odessa to Kiev. We had the seats at the emergency exit. There was a string hanging across the window and a sign saying "in case of emergency, pull string". Fortunately we had no emergency.
Unknown commented on "Thomas Ekvall: Adam Smith, Capitalism, and the Arithmetic of Prosperity"
15 Mar 2026
What makes this essay both interesting and slightly uncomfortable is how obvious the central point appears in retrospect.
At the 250th anniversary of Adam Smith’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, the mechanism he described still seems oddly underappreciated in parts of the development world: the arithmetic of compounding economic growth.
The mathematics is not complicated. An economy growing at 1% annually barely doubles over two generations. One growing at 7% expands roughly thirtyfold. Once that logic is internalised, the divergence between countries such as South Korea and Ghana becomes far less mysterious.
What is striking is not that Smith understood this in 1776, but that institutions devoted to development often seemed slow to place economic growth at the centre of their thinking.
Even in leading social-science institutions such as the London School of Economics and Political Science, which has trained a large share of development professionals, the arithmetic of growth was not always treated as the decisive variable it clearly is.
During many years working with UNICEF, I struggle to recall a single senior discussion in which sustained economic growth was treated as the central determinant of long-term human welfare. Yet without growth, the resources required for education, health systems, infrastructure and social protection simply do not materialise.
At the 250th anniversary of Adam Smith’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, the mechanism he described still seems oddly underappreciated in parts of the development world: the arithmetic of compounding economic growth.
The mathematics is not complicated. An economy growing at 1% annually barely doubles over two generations. One growing at 7% expands roughly thirtyfold. Once that logic is internalised, the divergence between countries such as South Korea and Ghana becomes far less mysterious.
What is striking is not that Smith understood this in 1776, but that institutions devoted to development often seemed slow to place economic growth at the centre of their thinking.
Even in leading social-science institutions such as the London School of Economics and Political Science, which has trained a large share of development professionals, the arithmetic of growth was not always treated as the decisive variable it clearly is.
During many years working with UNICEF, I struggle to recall a single senior discussion in which sustained economic growth was treated as the central determinant of long-term human welfare. Yet without growth, the resources required for education, health systems, infrastructure and social protection simply do not materialise.
Unknown commented on "Mini-reunion Gianni Murzi and Dina Craissati in Bologna, March 2026"
15 Mar 2026
Good Stuff
15 Mar 2026
Well done Dina
Beth Preble commented on "My Reflections - a personal essay by Jim Mohan"
15 Mar 2026
It is great to be back in contact, Fouad, after many years!
Bijaya Rajbhandari commented on "Remembering Steve Umemoto - A Mentor, Colleague, and Champion for Children: by Kul Gautam"
15 Mar 2026
Binu and I met him in Grinnell college where we went for my daughter's graduation, and he was there for his 50 years of graduation celebration.
Bijaya Rajbhandari commented on "Remembering Steve Umemoto - A Mentor, Colleague, and Champion for Children: by Kul Gautam"
15 Mar 2026
I remember Steve. He was my Representative and a mentor while working as the Chief of UNICEF Punjab Office Lahore. He taught me how to work unconventional way of working within UNICEF for women and children in a country. This has continued to guide me when I was heading Bihar and Jharkhand office in India and later as Representative North Korea and Thailand. I met him twice in London with Diane. His vast knowledge of British Museum was incredible. I also met him once in Kathmandu and Bangkok. With my sincere condolences to Diane and the family!
Fouad commented on "The Season of June : Ken Gibbs"
14 Mar 2026
There goes friend Ken again,
About his neighbour June , or was it Jane?
He has started us on another chain,
One where it is hard to abstain.
Am I able to deign
Compete with others in same vein?
Don’t want to appear too vain,
But will continue in the main
Along the rhymes that are lain.
Somehow we will all gain,
More of comraderie it is plain
Just commenting so as to retain
A thread of Ditties with no pain.
Today it is snowing but no rain,
So winter continues to reign
On our soggy and icy terrain.
Reading XUNICEF blog I feign,
Will keep me alert and sane.
Global news is such a stain,
As more children are hurt and slain,
East and West are a Twain
Each of the other is a bane
What will these conflicts obtain
As humanity seems to wane ?
Help us these swamps to drain,
So that staples such as grain
Can feed our kids and trains
Them so as brothers they can remain.
About his neighbour June , or was it Jane?
He has started us on another chain,
One where it is hard to abstain.
Am I able to deign
Compete with others in same vein?
Don’t want to appear too vain,
But will continue in the main
Along the rhymes that are lain.
Somehow we will all gain,
More of comraderie it is plain
Just commenting so as to retain
A thread of Ditties with no pain.
Today it is snowing but no rain,
So winter continues to reign
On our soggy and icy terrain.
Reading XUNICEF blog I feign,
Will keep me alert and sane.
Global news is such a stain,
As more children are hurt and slain,
East and West are a Twain
Each of the other is a bane
What will these conflicts obtain
As humanity seems to wane ?
Help us these swamps to drain,
So that staples such as grain
Can feed our kids and trains
Them so as brothers they can remain.
Unknown commented on "Where airplanes live another day – or go to die by Joachim Theis"
14 Mar 2026
I am a little younger than you Detlef, my first MEA airplane was a B-707 flight from Geneva in 1979….
Unknown commented on "Where airplanes live another day – or go to die by Joachim Theis"
14 Mar 2026
Yes Fouad, I remember the Fokker F-27 Friendship in the dirt landing strips of northern Mozambique in the 1970’s…
Detlef Palm commented on "Watch the Sun Rise: Detlef Palm"
14 Mar 2026
It's probable. Or probably not.
In response to a comment by Mahesh Patel
Mahesh Patel commented on "Watch the Sun Rise: Detlef Palm"
14 Mar 2026
Is that why we invented Sine Tables,
or was that another reason?
or was that another reason?
Unknown commented on "Where airplanes live another day – or go to die by Joachim Theis"
14 Mar 2026
You will not live to see it!
14 Mar 2026
One gets the impression that the system had become so sophisticated that it had learned to outwit itself. The UK, to be fair, has long had a certain talent for punching above its weight. It was an effective coping strategy for post-empire syndrome. The French, to this day, have never quite settled on a similar therapy. It will be interesting to see how the United States will manage theirs.
14 Mar 2026
but there was the epic graph of UN agencies based on performance and alignment with UK - the famous graph by UK government on aid effectiveness. At the time Detlef was addressing the UNCT in Albania he referred to this study - and reminded the UNCT that most UN agencies sitting at the table at that moment were not eligible to receive UK funding due to their poor ranking by UK on thier performance - yet UK funding to ONE FUND (a fund managed by UNRC and dished out to UN agencies in the 9 Delivering as One pilots) was being dished out to them with no consideration of this ranking or their performance. It was an epic dose of logic. I feel like that was a moment where the UN became completely lost in our own nonsense at that time - it was 2011? And after that UNRC's lost their minds - their mandate and egos swelled up - and the UN agencies were adrift.
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Labels
Comments
Labels:
Comments
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Comments
Post a Comment
Please ensure you leave your name, bei either selecting your google account (if you have one), or selecting 'name' from the drop down menu. Enter your name there. If confused, leave your name in the text of your comment.