Shovelling money into places rife with corruption and internecine conflict is ill-conceived, at best.

There is, however, one - and only one, as far as I know - sure-fire way to create conditions for a prosperous society: the empowerment of women.

Release women from the tyranny of their reproductive cycle and religious laws through birth control and watch the society flourish. Throw in a few seeds, drill a well and stop flooding them with used third-rate clothing and you'll see a marked improvement within one generation.

It works every single time.