Trade not aid the answer to poverty, economists say
By Jonathan Lynn
GENEVA (Reuters) - As ministers from over 100 countries gather in Ghana to review how effective aid is in helping developing nations deal with poverty, many economists argue the answer is elsewhere — in freeing up trade.
The meeting in Accra this week comes just over a month after talks at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to secure a breakthrough in the long-running Doha round collapsed at the end of July.
Rich and poor countries alike have called for efforts to save the Doha round and build on the compromises that were reached in July’s talks. Senior negotiators are likely to meet in September to see whether the talks can be revived.