Camel cheese, a delicacy that commands high prices in European markets, will not help the economies of developing nations.
A minor point for most, but for Nicholas Stern, senior vice president and chief economist of the World Bank, the plight of this Mauritanian industry is just one example of a greater trend of unfair trade regulations that slight the developing world.
Stern's address, "International Action for Fighting Poverty: an Historic Opportunity," discussed the progress of developing nations--or lack there of--and marked the first in a series of University seminars on Globalization, Equity and Democratic Governance.
"The whole trade system is tilted against developing nations," Stern said before an audience of about 70 in a classroom at the John Hope Franklin Center for Humanities Tuesday. Citing a "tax on development," as impeding progress in developing nations, Stern listed trade as one of several global development issues needing change.
Stern also focused on the importance of more adept governance in developing nations, as well as the need for greater population participation and involvement in reforms.
"The involvement of people investing in their own lives is extremely important to them," Stern said. The increased participation of women, he added, is also essential to ameliorating poverty and raising the standard of living in impoverished nations. As care givers, women are responsible for education within the household and are viewed as a primary target for development efforts.
Complementing his discussion of participation, Stern stressed the need for transparency of the governing bodies of developing nations. He cited Uganda as an example of successful accountability--the country's mismanagement of education funds declined drastically after the misallocation was brought into the public eye.
"The power of embarrassment... showing that the evidence is there, can be quite powerful," Stern said.
Kevin Morrison, a third year political science graduate student, responded to Stern's speech by criticizing the role of the World Bank in developing countries. Morrison pointed to the World Bank's millennium development goal, which prioritizes security, health and gender issues, as an attempt to take credit for global trends. "Much of this expansion is the [World Bank] reacting to trends, not setting them," he said.
Stern ended by bringing home the role of the World Bank to his audience and explaining that even sessions such as these are part of a larger agenda to "rekindle internationalism in institutions" such as Duke. Stern noted that this task had been made more formidable due to the rash of international terrorism and insecurity in recent years.
However, Stern said that despite the recent trend of cynicism and delay in the commitment to international development, the post-Sept. 11 period of internationalism had created a potentially excellent environment for developing nations. "Over the next few years, we have the unique opportunity to make a difference," Stern said.
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