Sentence:  Thus , although the agenda of external assistance in the economic sphere are cumulative , and many of the policies suggested for nations in the earlier stages remain relevant , the basic purpose of American economic policy during the later stages of <WSD>development</WSD> 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:  a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage)