Årsrapport
Annual Report Norad 2002
Fifty years of Norwegian development cooperation were commemorated in 2002. It may not be much to celebrate, perhaps, but it is a good opportunity to sum up things that have worked well and things that have worked less well. In terms of health, education and economic living standard, many poor countries have made major advances. Nevertheless, a great many of the world’s population still live in poverty. If we have learned anything over the course of the past fifty years, it is that we are a small player on the world stage, and that what we are trying to do is immensely complex and completely dependent on joint effort with others. The policies pursued in developing countries are important. The ability of these countries to produce, and to sell what they produce, is important. Tariff walls and other international trade conditions are important. What other donor countries, the United Nations, the World Bank and the multitude of aid organisations from far and near do, is also important. Ethnic differences, religion, conflict and peace are important. Indeed, most of these things are actually more important than the contribution that we here in Norway are able to make.