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American Morning

Ask CNN: What is the World Bank's Main Objective?

Aired August 23, 2001 - 09:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITNEY WHITE: Hi, my name is Whitney White. I'm from Sewanon, Tennessee, and my question to CNN is, what is the World Bank's main objective?

CAROLINE ANSTEY, CHIEF OF MEDIA RELATIONS, "THE WORLD BANK": Our objective is to reduce poverty around the world. Over the last 50 years, life expectancy has increased. People are living longerer. Infant mortality is improved, maternal mortality. But recently, we're seeing the devastating pandemic of AIDS all around the world. There are 26 million people in Africa HIV positive, 10 million African orphans. We believe this is not just a health crisis; it's a development crisis, and more than that, it's actually a national security crisis for all countries, because health, environment, migration, wars spreads across borders.

So we are trying to dramatically improve the resources that go into AIDS. We are also trying to tell rich countries that they have to do more. They can't hide behind their borders. They need to put more money into overseas aid, and they need to reduce their trade barriers to allow poor people to export their way out of poverty.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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