1 September 2008: On the eve of the third High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, which met from 2-4 September 2008, in Accra, Ghana, Lennart Båge, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), urged donors and their partners in developing countries to take responsibility for accelerating action to meet the commitments in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.

Noting that rising prices for food and fuel will push 100 million people into poverty and that climate change will put an additional 50 million at risk from hunger, he said that “failure to meet the Paris commitments is not an option.” He also underlined the importance of country ownership for aid effectiveness and encouraged developing countries to take the lead by demonstrating “the will and leadership to take responsibility for their own development,” while calling on donors to “support them with better systems and incentives.” [IFAD press release] [Accra High-Level Forum website]