Adam Smith: “A comprehensive strategy is what we are looking for here, and that is certainly trade, efforts at economic development…”

“A comprehensive strategy is what we are looking for here, and that is certainly trade, efforts at economic development, capacity-building to help countries figure out how to better use trade, microcredit. There are a lot of different strategies out there that can be employed. Certainly aid and debt relief are part of it but not the only part. In fact, the better part is when you can figure out how to make the economies work, how to make the governments work in these countries so that they can begin to develop their own economies and grow and lift themselves out of poverty in that manner. That is more sustainable and more long term. I personally believe that aid and debt relief will continue to be a significant part of the strategy for a while, but certainly the goal is also to be as comprehensive as possible and employ economic means to help lift people out of poverty as well. I also think the other exciting thing about all this is the possibility of public-private partnerships.”