World Bank Chief Urges Better Balance Between Rich, Poor Nations

[Judi Lynn]

World Bank Chief Urges Better Balance Between Rich, Poor Nations
By Dirk Beveridge The Associated Press
Published: Sep 23, 2003



DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The World Bank opened its annual meeting Tuesday with a blistering attack on rich countries for spending hundreds of billions more on their militaries and their farmers than they do on helping the poor.

"Our planet is not balanced," World Bank President James Wolfensohn told delegates from 184 countries. "Too few control too much, and too many have too little to hope for. Too much turmoil, too many wars. Too much suffering."

The failure of global trade talks this month in the Mexican resort of Cancun highlights the deep divide that must be overcome to create a stable future, Wolfensohn said in an opening address to the joint meeting of his bank and the International Monetary Fund.

He criticized rich countries for providing just $56 billion a year in development assistance to poor countries, compared with more than $300 billion they spend on agricultural subsidies and $600 billion spent on defense. Nations have committed an additional $16 billion in aid by 2006, but Wolfensohn said poor nations could easily use twice as much. (snip/...)

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA66EPQXKD.html

[izzie]

1. I am to old to have to worry but......

I would think our leaders would bring this up.. We are growing less of a percent of the worlds pop but we use more and more of the worlds goods. Some place there seems to me we can not hold the rest back from taking it for them selfs. I see these people coming from over seas and sneaking in as a start of all that.

[dArKeR]

2. World Bank meeting opens with attack on rich nations - TGM

The World Bank opened its annual meeting Tuesday with a blistering attack on rich countries for spending hundreds of billions more on their militaries and their farmers than they do on helping the poor.

"Our planet is not balanced,"

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030923.wduba0923/BNStory/Business/

Our pResident's brain is not balanced.