Don't Be Complacent…World Bank

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The World Bank Managing Director, Madam Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has cautioned Ministers of developing and donor countries responsible for promoting development and Heads of multilateral and bilateral development institutions, not to be complacent of what has been achieved at the Aid Conference in Accra.

 'Don't be complacent of what has been achieved here, you need to move faster than before,' she said, adding that the forum has to be a platform and basis to filter negative issues that could thwart their efforts in making aid effective in their respective countries.

Madam Okonjo-Iweala sounded the caution at a news conference, at the end of a three-day High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness Conference in Accra.

She stressed the need to explore possible ways of doing things that would bring positive results as well as of ensuring 'talk of action and not words,' and called for close collaboration between recipient countries and civil society organisations so that they could also bring their ideas and experiences to bear.

She urged them to take advantage of the global food hyke that is having serious negative effects on some African countries and make it a point to accelerate better development on the continent.

Mr  Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, who also addressed the news conference, noted that the Accra Agenda for Action is a build-up of previous aid conferences which has advanced the cause of many issues such as country ownership.

Under the country ownership, developing countries determine and implement their own policies to achieve their own economic, social and environmental goals, he stated.

On his part,  Mr. Angel Gurria, Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic co-operation and Development, said the best way to fight excuses is to prove by practical examples to Parliamentarians and donors how aid monies are being used, since that would give confidence to the people to support them.

He observed that Ghana's economy is getting better as a result of remittances by Ghanaians living abroad, taxes paid in the country as well as judicious use of aid, noting that some years back, Ghana was not on the capital market, but now they are.