Sentence:  Thus , although the agenda of external assistance in the economic sphere are cumulative , and many of the policies suggested for nations in the <WSD>earlier</WSD> stages remain relevant , the basic purpose of American economic policy during the later stages of development should be to assure that movement into a stage of self-sustaining growth is not prevented by lack of foreign exchange . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time