Many in the aid community and elsewhere disagree with Dambisa Moyo, author of the new book, Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa. Her views are controversial, especially among those who are working feverishly to meet the Millennium Development Goals and who see progress being made.

Those are the eight targets agreed to by nearly 200 countries and all the major development organizations. They include cutting extreme poverty in half, halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, and reducing infant mortality, all by the year 2015. These are ambitious goals that have been slightly derailed by the recent economic downturn, but many are still committed to their fulfillment. One of them is John McArthur, head of the nonprofit Millennium Promise, and he talks with Peggy Wehmeyer.

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