(April 5, 2006) Laos, Asia’s second poorest country, is relying more than ever on foreign aid, but some donors are getting fed up with corruption and waste in the isolated communist nation.
BAE ordered to name payment agents
(March 17, 2006) BAE Systems, Britain’s biggest and most influential arms company, has been ordered to reveal the identity of agents it uses to make secret payments abroad.al the identity of agents it uses to make secret payments abroad.
World Bank says benefits of Chinese hydro dam ‘impossible to quantify’
(January 18, 2006) The World Bank has given China’s second-largest hydro project a satisfactory rating on the resettlement of 46,000 people, despite having no data to assess whether anyone is better or worse off.
Chinese dam benefits ‘impossible to quantify’: World Bank
(January 16, 2006) The World Bank has given Ertan, China’s second-largest hydro project, a satisfactory rating on the resettlement of 46,000 people, despite having no data to assess whether anyone is better or worse off.
The dams balance sheet
(January 30, 2006) Waterlogging, ineffective irrigation, changing crop patterns, the promise of electricity – these lines from a Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) protest song highlight the recurrent issues that plague not just the Sardar Sarovar Project, but large dams across India.
Environmentalists lose the dam battle in Laos
(December 1, 2005) Opponents argue that little money generated by the dam will reach the poor and much will be pocketed by communist party chiefs. Corruption is rife in Laos and the country’s legal system is renowned for being underfunded with limited powers.
World Bank reform signed into law
(November 18, 2005) U.S. President George Bush has signed into law legislation urging greater transparency and accountability at the five international multilateral development banks MDBs).
Lesotho, SA to ink deal on highlands water project
(September 19, 2005) Lesotho and South Africa will sign an agreement for the feasibility study of the second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project at the Mohale Dam this week.
Cancel Iraq’s debt: PM
(September 17, 2005) Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafary urged creditor nations to cancel Iraq’s external debt in order for Iraq to rejoin the international community, "be an asset," "participate in promoting world security," and "face the challenges of terrorism."
World Bank attacked over gold mine
(August 21, 2005) The World Bank has come under fire from one of its own internal watchdogs over its role in funding a gold mine project in Guatemala.
Guatemalan Maya, forced from homes, demand World Bank compensation
(July 26, 2005) Thousands of indigenous Maya people from Guatemala protested at the World Bank Tuesday demanding compensation for being driven from their ancestral lands by the blood-soaked construction of a bank-funded dam.
Will NT2 boost or burden Lao economy?
(May 12, 2005) More than a decade after the project was first conceived, financing for one of Southeast Asia’s most controversial investments is finally in place.
Controversial Laos dam project gets almost 1.6 billion dollars backing
(May 4, 2005) A massive hydroelectric project in Laos has secured 1.58 billion dollars in financing commitments, the country’s Nam Theun 2 Power Co. Ltd (NTPC) said in a statement.
US$100 million for Nam Theun 2
(April 28, 2005) The government has signed a series of finance documents for loans and grants in excess of US$100 million for the Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric project.
Money talks in power project
(April 11, 2005) In the end, it was the bean counters who shouted loudest in the emotive debate over the World Bank’s questionable mandate for building big, brassy Third World dams.


