Aid moves from the messianic to the managerial

The G-7 leaders' invitation of leading international aid organizations to their June 1996 meeting marks a need for change in how aid bodies operate. Factors that have rendered past methods obsolete include the collapse of the Soviet Union, the rise of private development assistance, globalization in a variety of arenas but especially information, the proliferation of market economies and open government systems, and the frequent failure of governments to measure up. New financial, policy, and knowledge partnerships are needed.