Dear Roger,
I can answer some of your questions of 10/3 16:37 -0500:
'How does the US compare to other nations? Other wealthy nations? What are
other exports worth
(technology, science, business know-how, democratic institutions, medicine,
jobs)? ... my guess is that much of the aid we give goes to ill rather than
to good. I also guess that -- all things considered -- we give more than
other developed countries in percentage terms.'
Do newsmedia in the USA publish about the conference 'Financing for
development' that starts next week in Mexico? The newspaper I read does and
mentioned today some of the statistics you ask for.
Essential background information is, that all countries giving development
aid promised in 1970 (I think in the context of the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development) to raise their so-called Official
Development Aid (which is measured with uniform criteria that were agreed on
also) to 0,7% of their Gross National Product. Comparable promises have been
repeated at every international conference on the subject since. The General
Assembly of the United Nations of 2000 for instance promised that donor
countries would aim at halving poverty by 2015, basic education for all
children, reduction of mother and child mortality etc. The conference in
Mexico of next week is of vital importance to secure the finances for these
so-called 'Millenium goals'.
There are only 5 countries now who kept their 1970 promise: Denmark 1,06%,
the Netherlands 0,82%, Sweden 0,81%, Norway 0,8% and Luxembourg 0,7%.
Some other percentages: average for the European Union 0,33%, France 0,33%,
United Kingdom 0,31%, Germany 0,27%, Spain 0,24%, Italy 0,13% and the USA
0,1%.
Exports of technology etc. can't be added to these percentages, because they
are being paid for by the receivers.
(Not from my newspaper but from sources I read in the past:) Direct
investment from firms from rich countries in poor countries (setting up
subsidiaries or joint ventures), which would be a good alternative for
'handing out money', is very limited and decreasing compared to mutual
direct investment between rich countries. The risk of investment in poor
countries is simply too high. The companies who take that risk are mainly
those that are dependent on poor countries because essential resources (e.g.
oil) are located there.
A World Bank economist stated publicly yesterday that (according to World
Bank research) development aid is more effective than a lot of people think.
Thanks to development aid people in the receiving countries are healthier
and better educated than 50 years ago.
With friendly greetings,
Wim
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