This article presents a skeptical view of an African citizen on foreign aid. Sorius Samura argues that it is foreign aid that feeds off corrupted governments in many African countries, making Africa dependent on outside influences. "Governments that are highly dependent on aid pay too much attention to donors and too little to the actual needs of their own citizens."
I think it is yet another case of good intention, but failed deliverance. Foreign aid to Africa is not simply a matter of pumping money into Africa and hopes that this money blossoms into economic growth. A lot of foreign aid serves interests of corrupted leaders and brings little benefits to the average African person.
Foreign aid, the article argues, brought about a rise in the local currency and rendered the export sector less competitive. This impact, coupled with the West's "fair" trade agenda (demand for less trade barriers but maintain their own agricultural subsidies) explains why this continent of 10% world population only accounts for 1% of global trade, much less than its potential.
Aid to Africa should go beyond mere good intention.
2 comments:
this is a good analysis of a good article. aid should not be sent just to the governments in hope that it will get to the people. corruption may stop this but also genuine inefficienies with government. i see many similarities between some african leaders and the american consvervative movement led by president reagan called reaganomics most commonly called trickle down. this is when you give deregulate and give tax breaks and benefits to the wealthiest americans so that wealth trickles down. i haven't seen it work very well in either instance.
I agree also, but obviously the trickle down theory does not pan out if the corrupt government officials are simply taking the money for themselves. There is no investment, nothing, simply pocketing. It seems that it would not be too much work for the United States to see that their aid gets through to the appropriate destination and is used in the appropriate way. I hope that we are not so ignorant as to think the money is being used well and simply keep dishing it out.
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