Posted on 09/29/2002 4:46:06 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Rich countries face "a moment of truth" over their plan to halve global poverty, which is endangered by turmoil in global stock markets and the threat of war against Iraq, the World Bank warned yesterday.
James Wolfensohn, the Bank's president, said the west must "put its money where its mouth is" and stump up the cash to meet the agreed target of halving the number of people living on less than a dollar a day by 2015.
"The time has come to move from words to action to implement this new deal between rich countries and poor countries," he said.
Speaking to the Guardian, ahead of this week's IMF and World Bank annual meetings, Mr Wolfensohn said he feared that worries about the global outlook would distract attention from the plight of developing countries.
"If you find countries that are dirt poor, they are the places that extremists flourish. I personally believe that if we don't get rid of poverty we are not going to have peace."
Rich countries must open their highly protected markets to textiles and agricultural goods from the developing world, and stop subsidising its farmers, according to the Bank. Western countries pay out $350bn a year supporting agriculture, seven times what they spend on aid.
Mr Wolfensohn called on the west to come up with the extra money it promised for debt relief at a summit in Canada this year.
From "not one cent for tribute" as U.S. doctrine to a global protection racket in 200 short years.
Wolfensohn just proved correct those "kids" protesting outside every World Bank meeting. Disband the World Bank.
Wolfensohn's remarks analyzed in the context of U.S. and world history
I believe this myself. My march on D.C. shoes are waiting by the front door.=o)
Don't you have anything else better to respond with? You owe us something.
I owe you nothing. Get a job. Or start your own business. Be productive. Support yourself by virtue of your own effort instead of demanding confiscation of the fruits of another person's effort to support you.
World of Trouble: Close The World Bank and the IMF
Founder of IMF, World Bank, WTO - Traitor
How is this global democracy going to work? (About global capitalism we already might have some idea).
You mean giving aids to Africa?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.