ECONOMICS

Regional

Supranational

Studies

Strategic Planning & Goals

General Resources

Regional

Cyber Threats and the U.S. Economy

A statement before the Joint Economic Committee by John A. Serabian, Jr., Information Operations Issue Manager, Central Intelligence Agency, in February 2000.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/public_affairs/speeches/cyberthreats_022300.html

Supranational

Transnational Threats to NATO in 2010

This paper focuses on the likely future transnational threats to NATO, including direct threats from terrorism, threats to NATO countries' information systems, the build-up and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and international drug trafficking and organized crime. Also considered are other transnational developments--such as humanitarian crises and refugee flows, illicit immigration, a host of economic challenges, and potential nuclear reactor disasters--also will challenge NATO.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/di/speeches/428149198.html

IMF World Economic Outlook

The IMF World Economic Outlook takes into consideration the following concerns. Can the United States Achieve a "Soft Landing"?; Maintaining the Expansion in Europe; Regaining the Confidence of Japan's Consumers; Latin America and the Carribean: Recovery and Divergence; Asia: Continuing Strong Expansion; Commonwealth of Independent States: Will Macroeconomic Improvements Accelerate Structural Reform?; Sustaining the Momentum in Countries on the European Union Accession Track; Middle East and Africa: Recovering But Vulnerable to Commodity Price Cycles; The Transition Process.

http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2000/02/index.htm

World Trade Organization

The overwhelming majority of WTO members are developing countries. The WTO agreements recognize the link between trade and development and include special provisions for developing countries. This site provides key documents and resources for the WTO and it’s work with trade and development.

http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/devel_e.htm

The United Nations Development Programme

UNDP is the United Nations' principal provider of development advice, advocacy and grant support. Its core programmes focus on the countries that are home to 90 percent of the world's extremely poor people. UNDP is widely known as "the developing countries' development agency." UNDP maintains a presence on the ground in virtually every developing country, with an unrivaled network of more than 130 field offices. UNDP helps governments in developing countries to improve policies and build a greater institutional capacity for delivering basic services and reducing poverty.

Source: United Nations

http://www.undp.org/dpa/publications/index.html

Rural Poverty Report

The global poverty scenario has changed significantly over the last two decades. In many parts of the world, the incidence of poverty has declined at unprecedented rates since 1970, while in others (such as the arid and semi-arid areas and in Africa) the situation has hardly improved at all. Both the location and the character of the poor have changed, as has the nature of the institutions they depend on. of the

Source: International Fund for Agricultural Development

http://www.ifad.org/poverty/index.htm

Studies

Europe 2050 Initiative: Readiness for the Future Index

The index attempts to assess the readiness of countries to meet challenges in the new millennium. The first version of the index was presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 1999. The latest index (Release 2.0) measures sustainability, fairness and individual freedom, harmony, and readiness for the future.

http://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/indicators/ESI/

Strategic Planning & Goals

Louisiana: Vision 2020

Louisiana: Vision 2020 is a challenge to create a newer and better Louisiana and a guide to economic renewal and diversification. It is a platform for innovative initiatives. It is a process by which our progress toward long-term goals will be managed and monitored. Since January 1997, the Louisiana Economic Development Council and its ten task forces have met more than 60 times, calling upon the best minds in the state in its efforts to construct the best possible economic development plan.

http://www.lded.state.la.us/new/vision2020/intro.htm

World Business Council for Sustainable Development Global Scenarios: 2000-2050

A summary of the Global Scenarios used by the WBCD to help businesses explore the future challenges of sustainable development.

http://www.wbcsd.org/DocRoot/dtntHdPTlkbR35KCK6NF/exploringscenarios.pdf

General Resources

Prosperity Games

Prosperity Games are high-level interactive simulations, similar to seminar war games, which help people explore the consequences of various goals and strategies in a risk-free environment. Since 1994, Sandia has facilitated 16 games exploring a variety of issues, from diversity to the US health care system.

http://www.sandia.gov/LabNews/LN03-14-97/prosperity.html

http://www.cs.sandia.gov/projects/VxInsight/warrenpa/tsld013.htm

Strategic Plan for 1997-2002

The plan describes 3 Strategic Themes to support the nation’s economic infrastructure: Theme I: focuses on domestic and international trading capacities, nation’s capability of job creation, provides support for minority businesses, supports technological innovation and improves production. Theme II comprises the set up of the nation’s policy, the pertinence to technological development, and the conduction of improving production. Lastly, theme III involves the basic management of resources and assets.

Source: Department of Commerce

http://www.osec.doc.gov/bmi/budget/strtgc/index.htm