This book explores how far existing networks of overseas Chinese and new flows of migrants act as drivers of economic relations between China and the host countries. It considers migration, trade, the flow of capital, and foreign direct investment, includes both skilled and unskilled migrants, and outlines the complex different waves of migration flows. It includes detailed case studies, based on extensive original research, on the position in a range of European countries, and concludes with policy-oriented analysis and with an overall assessment of how far the Chinese diaspora matters in stimulating increased bilateral economic activity and stronger bilateral economic relationships.

Although international development discourse considers the state as a crucial development actor, what you see is not what you get: there remains a significant discrepancy between the official norms and the actual practices of political elites and civil servants. The book discusses the usefulness of the concept of practical norms to analyze the functioning of real public bureaucracies and interactions between civil servants and users. In a first part, practical norms are situated in the ongoing debates about the role of the state in African development. The second part brings together different case-studies of public governance in the domains of health, natural resource management and the justice sector, to explore the positive and negative effects of different aspects of ‘real governance’. See also this analysis & policy brief and an analysis of practical norms at the University of Kinshasa.
 

Microfinance traditionally takes into account financial and social objectives. Recently, there have been increasing calls for the additional incorporation of an environmental bottom line; leading to ‘green microfinance’. This Special Issue brings together contributions by academics, practitioners and investors on different issues related to the most prominent types of green microfinance. It includes a suggestion for a definition of green microfinance; an impact investor’s perspective on the business case for green microfinance; and the presentation of a practical tool to support microfinance institutions who want to reflect on their (green) practices. To zoom in on a number of more specific types of green microfinance, there is a discussion on financing options for small-scale renewable energy; a conceptual and an empirical discussion of the links between microfinance and climate change adaptation; and a case study of microfinance’s use for the promotion of environmentally-friendly production practices. A debate on the use of Payments for Ecosystem Services also provides food for thought for further discussions on ethical and political dimensions of green microfinance.

La toile de fond de ce volume est la question de la profondeur ou de la superficialité du changement qui se manifeste en RDC depuis plus d'une décennie. Certaines ruptures avec le passé sont manifestes mais l'enracinement profond des comportements clientélistes dans le domaine politique est de nature à fragiliser les avancées. C'est surtout dans le champ économique que les changements sont réels. Mais cet essor économique est-il durable et signifie-t-il une rupture permanente avec le passé ?

African Artisanal Mining from the Inside Out provides a rich and in-depth analysis of the Congolese gold sector. Instead of portraying miners and traders as passive victims of economic forces, regional conflicts or disheartening national policies, it focuses on how they gain access to and benefit from gold. It shows a professional artisanal mining sector governed by a set of specific norms, offering ample opportunities for flexible employment and local livelihood support and being well-connected to the local economy and society. It argues for the viability of artisanal gold mining in the context of weak African states and in the transition towards a post-conflict and more industrialized economy.

L'Afrique des Grands Lacs : annuaire 2014-2015
Filip Reyntjens, Stef Vandeginste and Marijke Verpoorten

Comme d’habitude, l’Annuaire couvre un large éventail d’événements et d’évolutions qui ont marqué l’année.
Au plan politique, un thème de plus en plus saillant dans toute la région a été celui du nombre de mandats présidentiels.
Les thèmes sociaux et économiques sont divers et abordent des problématiques qui touchent le sort quotidien des populations dans la région
Par l’analyse de thèmes d’actualité dans les domaines politique, social et économique, cet Annuaire offre des clés de lecture essentielles de l’évolution de la région des grands lacs en 2014 et au premier trimestre de 2015.