"I have been under the impression that Mr. Gates and I want the same thing for the livelihood of Africans to be meaningfully improved in a sustainable way. Thus, I have always thought there is significant scope for a mature debate about the efficacy and limitations of aid. To say that my book "promotes evil" or to allude to my corrupt value system is both inappropriate and disrespectful.
Mr. Gates' claim that I "didnt know much about aid and what it was doing" is also unfortunate. I have dedicated many years to economic study up to the PhD level, to analyze and understand the inherent weaknesses of aid, and why aid policies have consistently failed to deliver on economic growth and poverty alleviation.."