After the onset of international financial crisis there was the hope that the crisis could be used as an opportunity to radically reform the international economic system. But these expectations have not been met: The main players are too busy with domestic affairs; a solution to the long-term structural problems of the global economy is not yet in sight. Despite appeals, developing nations cannot rely on more outside aid. To be less susceptible in future crises they should take the opportunity now to push ahead with internal reforms in rural development.

Peter Wolff
German Development Institute (DIE)
Bonn, Germany
Peter.Wolff@die-gdi.de