The Attack on World Poverty

The Attack on World Poverty
Benny Dembitzer

Mr Dembitzer argues for a more pro-active approach to avert catastrophic famine across most of the poorest parts of the world. This talk will be focusing on the topics covered in his new book, which distils his 40 years experience working with six UN agencies and many NGOs at the very coal face of development.

He argues that the loss of arable land, advance of deserts, decrease in water reserves, population explosion, emigration of talent, lack of ethnic homogeneity, corruption, poor governance and arms sales combine to be too powerful a force for those who strive to make development possible. Statistics do not always help with the OECD, BRIC countries and resource-rich and poor countries operating on different principles with different ‘drivers’. One statistic is unchallenged; most sub-Saharan people have a lower standard of living in 2009 than 50 years ago.

What will emerge and might China soon run Africa?
Mr Dembitzer's address and his book will appeal to those active in the fight against world poverty and who refuse simplistic solutions.
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Benny Dembitzer has worked in 35 countries in Africa and two in Asia, for the World Bank, UNESCO, UNDP, ITC, UN Capital Development Fund, ILO, Department for International Development and the Commonwealth Secretariat. He has had a long association with the United Nations Association, from chairing the Cambridge University UNA and serving on the UNA National Executive Board during the 1960s. He served as Vice Chair of UNA Westminster Branch during the 1990s.

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