I’m in a fascinating and quite incredible quasi-impromptu session on “Funding the War on Poverty”, meaning global development and the UN’s Millenium Development Goals , with Gates, Sachs, Gordon Brown, Pres. Mkapa of Tanzania, Finance Minister Siniscalco of Italy, and Lula.

Quite amazingly, the moderator is Bill Frist. He’s doing a pretty good job of moderating, and maintaining his equanimity, even as Sachs, for instance, reads G8 statements from years past that promised to give money that have not been given, or when Lula and Brown emphatically urge facing up with the problems of agricultural protectionism in the developed countries as a first step. Mkapa and Lula explain that their economies’ health depends on selling commodities, but on an unlevel global playing field. Debt reduction and new aid contributions are essential, but dealing with structural problems like the subsidies is critical.

Anyway, Frist nods his head at some of these statements, which is quite interesting. I never knew he was even that interested in this subject. Could it be a good sign?

Some articles are saying that the dollar is the main subject of Davos. I’d say reducing povery, especially in Africa, is just as big a topic here. It comes up in many sesisons, including those on technology, some of which I am moderating.