We just finished a "Breakfast Business Discussion" at the Raising Living Standards Conference in Edinburgh.  What struck me most was the consensus set of conclusions and suggestions which characterized seven separate table discussions.  At each table were senior business execs, including the vice chair of Chevron, Peter Robertson (who also appeared at WRI's December 2004 BOP conference in SF); Paul Pressler CEO of Gap, Rob Johnson a SVP at Cargill; Nazeem Sterras, CEO of Capespan in South Africa, Vassi Naidoo, CEO of Deloitte in South Africa; and others, plus a host of civil society leaders -- CARE, Christian Aid, DATA, Save the Children, along with many policy types. 

World leaders gathered in Scotland this week for the G-8 summit are discussing an increase in international aid as a means of reducing poverty and disease in Africa. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been encouraging other G-8 nations to double monetary aid to the continent by 2010, while the U.S. has favored a more cautious approach. What are the prospects for change in international aid for Africa? How would these funds be used?

Raj Desai, professor of International Development at Georgetown University, will be online Thursday, July 7, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the G-8 summit and international aid.