Formalization of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Colombia: A Proposal for Improving Environmental, Social, and Economic Performance in a Post-Conflict Scenario

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is an important economic activity in many rural areas, with a long tradition in Colombia. High rates of informality undermine governance, security, and legal economies, and cause significant environmental and social impacts. As the government of Colombia consolidates post-conflict conditions, the United States and Switzerland are providing assistance through…

Final Report: Integrated Financial Management System

Because of IFMS support, Haitian government agencies had real-time access to expenditure data through the improved IFMS network. Entities can send and receive key data faster and make more informed planning decisions. IFMS installed the UXP, a technology developed in Estonia that enables peer-to-peer data exchange over encrypted and mutually authenticated channels. IFMS contributed to…

Financial Series #1: Enabling Sub-Sovereign Bond Issuances

Through the Financial Sector (FS) Share task order, the USAID Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade (EGAT) and Chemonics proactively collaborated with missions to identify financial sector priorities and develop strategies and programs to grow the financial sector. This primer was prepared by Caroline Averch and J. Mauricio Gutierrez of Chemonics with support from USAID EGAT and The U.S. Treasury International Affairs Office of Technical…

Final Report: Financial Sector Knowledge Sharing Project

The Financial Sector Knowledge Sharing (FS Share) project was designed by the USAID Bureau of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT, now known as E3) as a vehicle to test innovative approaches to financial-sector development and facilitate the collection, analysis, and dissemination of best practices and lessons learned through implementation. Through these activities, FS Share’s…

Development Works Here with Dzenita Kolja

We’d like you to meet Dzenita Kolja! Dzenita serves as managing director of the Audit Preparedness Unit within Chemonics’ Global Health Supply Chain Office. Once an aid beneficiary herself, she shares her development journey from Bosnia to the U.S. and what draws her to this work. Dzenita is one reason #DevelopmentWorksHere. 1. Can you tell…

Introducing the Rule of Law in Myanmar

Myanmar’s legal tradition is a unique combination of family customary law, codified English common law, and recent Myanmar legislation. In the five years since it embarked on its political transition, following the military government takeover and reorganization of courts, Myanmar continues to face a breadth of development challenges. Some of these include widespread poverty, an…

Strengthening Education for Youth in Syria

The conflict in Syria has decimated local governance, livelihoods, and access to education. With funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and other international donors, the Injaz II program assisted children and youth in Northeastern Syria with limited or no access to education since the start of ISIS occupation. Recognizing…

Dzenita Korac

Dzenita Korac is an international development professional with more than 20 years of experience implementing donor-funded projects with a focus on post-conflict countries. Since joining Chemonics in 2003, Dzenita has served in a dozen long-term and short-term roles on projects in Europe, Asia, and Africa and led high-profile corporate initiatives. As senior vice president of…

4 Best Practices to Counter and Prevent Violent Extremism Through Governance

Despite the recent weakening of violent extremist groups such as the Islamic State and Boko Haram, these threats continue to be a pressing global issue. In the development sector, countering violent extremism (CVE) and preventing violent extremism (PVE) are increasingly high priorities for government agencies and donors. As USAID, the State Department, and others grapple…

Final Report: Governance Strengthening Project (GSP/TAQADUM)

GSP/Taqadum made advances in building the capacity of provincial governments to plan and deliver services with the participation of their constituents. Designed to transfer knowledge and strategies through innovative standardized systems and effective methodologies, the project worked side-by-side with provincial leaders and their staff to develop a unique and wide-ranging set of tools. The transfer…