Don't give up hope on making poverty history
Let's face it, 2005 wasn't the year that "Made Poverty History". It had some excellent moments like the G8 summit at GlenEagles that came up with a plan for reducing debt payments by developing nations and increased pledges of aid to struggling nations, but that meeting was overshadowed by the July 7th bombings.That seem to knock the wind from the sails of the movement. Further attempts to Make Poverty History stalled or never got off the ground. The WTO meetings in Hong Kong were a failure in improving trade justice. France, unilaterally, refuses to consider dropping export subsidies and import duties. The American Congress isn't real fired up about dropping subsidies for farmers either. Luckily for both groups, that won't be required until 2012.
I was considering removing the white band from the upper right of the blog, but then read today's editorial from Bill Center, president of the Washington Council on International Trade. He is a business man strongly defeating the myth that "wiping out poverty was a noble but impossible idea."
His editorial was a strong shot in the arm to keep the faith. The white band shall stay.
posted by Expat Teacher @ 4:58 PM
