Ethiopia: Economists advocate transparency, caution on privatisation

Former World Bank Chief Economist Joseph Stiglitz warned on Monday of the perils of development without openness, transparency and accountability. He and other participants in a symposium on "Democracy, Development and the Case for the Developmental State" in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, also argued against blanket privatisations. Developing countries need to respect human rights, have a diverse media and strong political opposition groups, Stiglitz told the senior politicians, business leaders and aid officials attending the symposium, which was organised by an Ethiopian think tank, the Inter-Africa Group.