The Guardian: The world’s poor lose out as aid is diverted to the refugee crisis
Larry Elliott, The Guardian’s economics editor

“…Continued political support for aid is important because 2016 is going to be a tough year for many [least-developed countries (LDCs)]. … So what needs to be done? First, there has to be tougher action to prevent corruption. … Second, western countries need to recognize that prevention is better than cure. The lesson to be learned from Ebola is that it is better policy to have a plan for long-term economic development rather than to respond to crises when they arise. There should be a robust defense of aid where there is clear evidence that it has helped, as in the fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria, but also a recognition of where it has been lacking. … If those two conditions are satisfied, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t be, western donors need to stop short-changing the poor. Spending money that should be going to save lives and build futures in Africa on refugee camps in Europe is not just shabby, it is also an admission of failure” (1/10).