‘If you look at the bigger picture of change, aid has been close to irrelevant’

Stefan Dercon agues that for aid to have an impact there needs to be a wealthy elite committed to change, such as in Ghana and Bangladesh. Photograph: Courtesy of C. Hurst & Co. Publishers

A former government economist has said that aid is “close to irrelevant” in solving the problems of developing countries.

Nations that achieved fast growth and declines in poverty, such as Bangladesh and Ghana, do so thanks to their own wealthy elites and not to outside help, argues Stefan Dercon.