Accounting for growth

GDP is not the most accurate indicator of economic growth, and so it is vital that those responsible for aid budgets use other variables in determining the fairest way to allocate funds, writes Bill Gates

EVEN in good financial times, development aid budgets are hardly overflowing. Government leaders and donors must make hard decisions about where to focus their limited resources.

How do you decide which countries should get low-cost loans or cheaper vaccines, and which can afford to fund their own development programmes?