The Economist quoted CGD research fellow David Roodman on development assistance.
From the article:
"In any event, ensuring that governments stick to their promises in terms of the amount of aid dished out may often miss the point and make it easier to avoid examining whether the aid, in cash or projects, has actually helped development or economic growth. David Roodman of the Centre for Global Development in Washington says that focusing on rich countries’ promises can deflect attention from big issues such as trade or migration. The United States, the European Union and Japan boosted their own farmers’ incomes in total by $219 billion through subsidies and tariffs in 2008, eight times as much as they spent on aid to Africa that year. It is far easier to promise a bit more aid than to dismantle food subsidies that favour Western farmers but can devastate African ones."
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