Star activists 'don't acknowledge progress'

from smh.com.au:

Prime Minister John Howard has taken aim at rock star activists like U2 frontman Bono for failing to acknowledge how globalisation is helping lift millions of people around the world out of poverty.

Mr Howard today had terse words for "pop culture" figures who criticised world leaders for their efforts on poverty but didn't take account of how improved global trade had already done much to help millions better their lot in life.

"It's popular of course to be in receipt admonitions from leaders of pop culture, if I can put it that way, and others to do more to lift the world's poor out of their current state," he said during a keynote address to business leaders.

"Some of those commentators are not so ready to acknowledge the extraordinarily large number, the billions of people in this region and in other parts of the Asia region, that have been lifted from poverty over the last 25 years as a result of the application of the principles of innovation and globalisation."

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He believes removing trade barriers to be a more effective way of lifting countries out of poverty than just throwing money their way.

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"The point I was making is that the economic growth that's occurred in countries like China and other countries in the Asian region has lifted tens of millions, indeed hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.

"And in the criticism that is made of poverty, and it is a criticism and concern I fully share, there is rarely any acknowledgement of the progress that is being made in fighting poverty.

"The world has made progress yet you would imagine ... from some utterances no progress had been made at all."