1. The Survey by the Finance Ministry welcomed "right sizing" of public sector units, whose main aim is to deliver essential services and not providing jobs.

2. On the back page, there is the fiery face of the leader of the Nigerian Labour Congress, a man I much admire, who quaintly calls himself "comrade". The federal government has decided to sack 33,000 workers, a "right–sizing" they say, rather than a downsizing.

3. During the past year the establishment of U.N. peacekeeping missions to address failed states in Liberia and Haiti, two countries where the United States and the international community had previously intervened to restore order, illustrated the need for broader–based, longer–term approaches to post–conflict reconstruction and recovery. At the same time, the recent rapid growth in the demand for U.N. peacekeeping missions, especially in Africa, has made right–sizing and clear exit strategies for U.N. peacekeeping missions more crucial than ever. Also during the past year, widespread and serious sexual abuse and exploitation by U.N. peacekeepers of civilian populations in post–conflict societies came to light, making clear the need for stronger oversight, investigative and disciplinary procedures, and training to prevent such abuse.