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# Where do poor countries get their policy ideas?
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18937/
- Published: 2005-02-16T15:02:28.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:32:55.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:15

Moving on from Davos, what real hope is there for Africa in 2005? The UK's Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have had [some success](http://fi.oneworld.net/article/view/102985/1/?ref=opendemocracy.net) already bringing the issue of debt and poverty to the table of G8 countries and the EU in spite of resistance from [the US](http://www.node707.com/archives/003153.shtml?ref=opendemocracy.net), and [others](http://blog.ctrlbreak.co.uk/archives/000262.html?ref=opendemocracy.net). This week on openDemocracy, [David Mepham](http://www.opendemocracy.net/debates/article.jsp?id=6&debateId=28&articleId=2337) from the [ippr](http://www.ippr.org.uk/?ref=opendemocracy.net) looks at the four types of damage rich countries must to stop inflicting on Africa, less their development money go to waste: conditional aid, unfair trade, arms sales, and corruption. Economist [Nadeem Ul Haque](http://www.opendemocracy.net/debates/article-6-28-2341.jsp) in Pakistan says Mepham's argument is limited. Development policies need to come from within Africa if they are going to work - and western aid organisation and think-tanks need to recognise the part they play in inhibiting this local thinking from blossoming.