Author Archives: Dereck Rooken-Smith

2011 was a year that demonstrated that stability and peace can’t be taken for granted. As old regimes crumbled and new democracies were forged, the impact of uncertainty, conflict and fragility on human development was made clear. Four years out from the deadline set for the Millennium Development Goals, not a single fragile state has achieved any of the MDGs. In fact, a growing share of the world’s poor live in fragile states and some predict that this share will grow to more than 50 percent within the next five years.  It is unsurprising then that fragile states are difficult environments in which to deliver aid ... (read more...)