Reining in corruption could prevent Third World child deaths

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"The Tackling Tax and Saving Lives report says half the countries in sub-Saharan Africa collect less than 17 per cent of their gross domestic product in tax revenue, whereas in rich countries the average is 35 per cent. If all developing countries were to mobilise 20 per cent of GDP in tax, 287,000 child deaths could be averted each year, and an additional 72 million people could have access to clean water. Often tax revenues provide far more financing than overseas development aid, particularly in middle-income countries. In sub-Saharan Africa only eight out of 34 countries receive more aid than they generate in tax revenues."

Read the article by Matt Wade in The Sydney Morning Herald.

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