News Archive - Latin America and Africa in the News

RAND researchers often write commentaries for publications on a variety of topics. This page lists commentaries and op-eds about or related to Latin America and Africa. For a complete list of commentaries and op-eds by RAND staff, visit the RAND Newsroom.

Can Payment for Environmental Services Save the Rainforest? — Feb 9, 2012

The Forest Allowance Program (Programa Bolsa Floresta) is an avoided deforestation initiative in Brazil that pays the local population a monthly allowance for environmental services and increases deforestation monitoring and enforcement. RAND is studying this and similar initiatives to determine their success in reducing deforestation.

Political Reform in the Arab World — Jan 20, 2012

It's been a year since Egyptians began the massive demonstrations that forced President Mubarak to step down and added momentum to pro-democracy protests across the Middle East. Drawing on research on past regime changes and political reform in the Arab world, RAND experts continue to provide policy analysis and unique insights into events in the region.

Mapping Pathways Project Reaches International Audience at ICASA 2011 — Dec 23, 2011

RAND Europe staff presented the Mapping Pathways project, which focuses on antiretroviral-based HIV/AIDS prevention, at the biennial International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) 2011.

Mapping Pathways Project Reaches International Audience at ICASA 2011 — Dec 23, 2011

Molly Morgan Jones, research leader for the Mapping Pathways project, visited Addis Ababa to present findings at the biennial International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) 2011. The conference was attended by more than 10,000 delegates from around the world, and many expressed an interest in having their countries serve as additional Mapping Pathways case-study sites. The project provided one of the few presentations on antiretroviral-based prevention.

The Year of the Arab Spring — Dec 20, 2011

The Arab Spring demonstrated that leaderless revolutions are difficult to repress or co-opt. Unfortunately, it is also true that leaderless revolts find it difficult to make transition to authority, writes Charles Ries.

CLASP Addresses Challenges Latinos Face at Home and in United States — Dec 19, 2011

The Center for Latin American Social Policy conducts research throughout Latin America and the Latin American population in the United States in the areas of aging, social determinants and consequences of health, saving for retirement, social security coverage, labor market dynamics, and migration.

Understanding the Impact of ICTs in the Middle East and North Africa — Nov 30, 2011

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) help to empower citizens and transform economic life. An important policy challenge is to identify and harness the benefits while mitigating the risks created by the new technologies. At the World Bank's request, RAND Europe helped develop a framework for thinking about ICT use in MENA. The report builds on an earlier research which benchmarked indicators for the knowledge economy in the region, analysing associations between indicators of ICT diffusion and development.

RAND Conference Focuses on Socioeconomic Growth and Development in Latin America — Nov 16, 2011

Labor issues, healthcare, education, social programs, and other factors affecting economic development in Latin America were the focus of a two-day conference in Santiago, Chile. RAND researchers joined university colleagues, industry experts, government leaders, and policymakers in discussing a range of critical topics.

RAND Has Not Studied an Alternative Homeland for Coptic Christians in Egypt — Oct 26, 2011

Some Arabic-language news outlets have reported that the RAND Corporation has published a study regarding an "alternative homeland" for Coptic Christians in Egypt. RAND has undertaken no such study.

RAND Participates in Building Future Education MENA 2011 Conference — Oct 25, 2011

RAND Corporation is a knowledge partner of an international conference in Abu Dhabi, which focuses on educational approaches for building a proficient workforce in the Middle East and North Africa. Lynn Karoly, senior economist and director of the Office of Research Quality Assurance at RAND, will discuss human capital challenges in the 21st century.

An Open Door in Libya — Oct 20, 2011

The days and weeks after a victory like this are a golden hour that set in motion either a virtuous cycle of increasing security and economic growth, or a downward spiral into insecurity, factionalism and economic chaos, write Christopher S. Chivvis and Frederic Wehrey.

First Ladies of Africa Partner with RAND, DoS, CCA to Advance Women's Leadership and Economic Empowerment in Africa — Sep 23, 2011

Nearly a dozen current and former first ladies joined RAND, the U.S. Dept. of State's African Women Entrepreneurship Program and the Corporate Council on Africa to promote women's leadership and economic empowerment across Africa. Now in its third year, the RAND African First Ladies Initiative partners with first ladies, supporting their efforts to become champions of change in their own countries on issues related to Millennium Development Goals.

Beyond the Shadow of 9/11 — Sep 1, 2011

The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks warrants a thoughtful review of America's progress and future strategy. In this RAND Review cover story, RAND experts offer perspectives on Afghan-led solutions, ways to counter al Qaeda, air passenger security, and compensation for those affected by terrorism.

Commanding Democracy in Egypt: The Military's Attempt to Manage the Future — Aug 25, 2011

The SCAF's attempts to curtail dissent and the democratic process have fueled doubts about its true intentions. Will the military fulfill its promise to support democracy? Or will it seek to replace Mubarak's rule with its own or that of a friendly autocrat? write Jeffrey Martini and Julie Taylor.

Libyan Nation Building After Qaddafi — Aug 23, 2011

If Libya is to have a chance of replacing Qaddafi with something better, the United States, its allies, and the rest of the international community will need to pivot very quickly from the rather straightforward requirements of war fighting to taking seriously the complex and demanding tasks of peace building, write James Dobbins and Frederic Wehrey.

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