The UN rails against the banks, but the aid industry has been just as reckless in its lending and spending
Biting the hand that feeds the world doesn't seem like a great strategy. But at the United Nations, it's normal. Last year, in a masterstroke, the UN General Assembly put Zimbabwe in charge of Sustainable Development. Yesterday, the world leaders who gathered at the UN in New York found a new excuse to rage against America, the world's biggest aid donor, for having the cheek to try to save the West from recession.
“Using the bailouts of the international banking system,” the Chilean President said, “the scourge of hunger on the planet could have easily been eliminated.” She moved straight on to complain that “financial instability is threatening to generate a worldwide recession in which, as always, those most affected will be the world's poorest”. Yup. The world is a complicated place. Sadly, you can't keep economics and poverty in separate compartments.
Aid officials understandably worry that wealthy nations are falling behind in their promises. But they need to remember the terms of the deal that was done at the G8 three years ago. A doubling of aid to Africa was supposed to be contingent on clean government, and respect for democracy.
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