Comments on: Time to stop aid for Africa?

By: Modou

Modou — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:11:19 +0000

Africa’s problem is not it’s people buts it’s leader. There’s a new generation of African leaders soon to rise and it will Starts With a new AU voted in for the people by the people. Dambisa is doing a great job{PERIOD} I’ll be glad to help however I can and I do recommend DEAD AID to any difference maker . I have a vision for a United States Of Africa and am not the only one, This makes me hopeful , Let’s stay charged in the fight for the change we need in africa.- Sallah* Myspace.com/dsallah

By: Sylvester S. Yarpah

Sylvester S. Yarpah — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:37:53 +0000

I can in some way be grateful to countries that have been using their finances and talents to give aid to Africa. But we all agreed that the stragegy has not worked well for the continent of Africa over the years.What is needed is for Africa to be seen and treated a partner in the globalization process by opening up global markets, especailly western markets to African products and services. Money that has been given to corrupt officials, most now be set aside for innovative and creative African individuals and institutions that will creat more opportunies for the ordiniary people to have employments, and earn incomes that will eventually eliminate the need for aid or handout to the continent and its people. People love to be empowered! Aid had eliminated that opportunity for Africa and its people!

By: Tarik73

Tarik73 — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:07:01 +0000

The reason why Africa has needed so much aid for so long is because they have NOT gotten a fair deal in global trade.Western and Eastern nations have engaged in bribery for decades so that they can get cheaper goods from and entry into African markets. If the developed nations are serious about economic development in Africa then they need to prosecute and judge those corporations and financial entities that engage in bribery. That’s what the developed nations should do on THEIR end.For the African people the only thing they can do is hold their political leaders accountable.

By: Javed Ahmad

Javed Ahmad — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:49:47 +0000

I came to this conclusion many years ago after having worked in both sub-Saharan Africa and Asia with bi-lateral and multinational donor organizations for several years. What Dambisa Moyo has said was actually over due. I think whatever little aid that trickles down to people, damages and even kills local initiative and insults self-respect and dignity of the population. Often foreign aid comes with agenda that may or may not meet people’s critical needs.Governments in poor countries are almost assured of timely financial assistance from one source or the other from donors and multi-national financial institutions, when going gets tough. This almost works as a disincentive for governments to try harder to stand on their own feet, and take necessary but politically unpopular decisions.I feel instead of giving aid and grants to poor countries, rich countries should give a better deal for commodities, products and services to these countries. Unlike the current practicing of giving bizarre concessions, it should be the role of governments in poor countries, to ensure better wages, benefits and work guarantees from multinationals. They should insist on charging higher rates for their commodities and raw materials, and don’t be cowed down by “international trade and pricing” policies, which can easily be maneuvered and tweaked by rich nations. If need be, they should follow example of oil cartel for every item of trade. By doing so, money will go to common man and women through trade, commerce and manufacturing jobs. It will do away with opportunities for governments to mismanage and squander funds. Rich countries can use the same aid money to subsidize imports for which they will be paying reasonable prices abroad.Such a policy, we may call ‘Global Fair Deal’ will rapidly raise standards of living and eliminate poverty in poor countries. It will eventually have a beneficial effect on governance too. Most importantly poor countries, thereafter, will not be begging for foreign aid but earning an honorable living with dignity. This will result into a true new world order where each country will stand as equal among nations. Is this something we want? This can only happen if the third world gets effectively united. And why not?Javed

By: Naki

Naki — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:40:19 +0000

I support Moyo’s analysis. Western Aid has not worked for Africa. Look at Uganda. 20 years ago, we had passable roads, railway line, schools, parastatal bodies, all regulated by different levels of government. Today, I am not sure I know what we have. For roads, we have streaks of gravel here and there with gaping holes in and around. The railway line and all parastatals were sold off to the highest bidders. The well-to-dos work for NGOs with no incentive of creating their own work. The government is waiting for Aid from the West to build roads!!!

By: CIILOW

CIILOW — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:07:40 +0000

It is obvious that leaders of Africa are thugs and lack the responsibility of what they stand for. thus Aid to Africa has given strength to HOO HAA leaders who lack humanity and understanding of the position they hold for the people they said they represent. this has also spoiled the hope of getting statesmen leaders among the african community who i believe can serve the intrest of the people of Africa with honest and transparency.However, on the other side it is clear that members of the UN failed to stand firm of what they believe by only presenting the UN horse shoe like table issues that do not represent the real need of the Africans. Africa is continent that need economic and political support that can lead to a better change for good therefore the UN should focus on issues that can make real change for the africansI believe it is the time that UN re defines its policy to africa and stop the aid that goes to regimes and governments that lack transparency or otherwise hurts the people it said will benefit. the permanent members should also stop using VETO when the UN tries to intervene genocides committed by those fattened by the aid given by the UN.ciilow

By: J. Sayegh

J. Sayegh — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:43:38 +0000

It is quite easy to say stop aid when one is outside the country and doing quite well for oneself. Dambisa Moyo holds a PhD in Economics from Oxford University and a Masters from Harvard. Now not all Africans are so “blessed” as to have the funds to study at these top universities and then spout useless nonsense. While I do agree that Africa needs more open export markets, Africa is not the only continent that obtain aid from Bretton Woods (World Bank, IMF, WTO) group. The aid that goes to Africa is nominal at best. Aid is not the problem, our leaders are. Our leaders go to international summits and instead of putting Africa’s interest forward, they go shopping, or worse (see photo).The Question from the NY Times: What do you think has held back Africans?Ms. Moyo’s answer: I believe it’s largely aid. You get the corruption — historically, leaders have stolen the money without penalty — and you get the dependency, which kills entrepreneurship. You also disenfranchise African citizens, because the government is beholden to foreign donors and not accountable to its people.My reply:And whose fault is that? We get the leaders we deserve. If we were to put in competent and capable leaders and demand accountability, our leaders would be beholden to us. Massive aid was given to European countries after the War but the leaders knew that their first obligation was to their people. African leaders seem to have no such obligation. To put it simply, if you are given $5.00 for the purpose of buying your mom a gift, and then you spend the money on yourself, the $5.00 is not the problem, you are. You have not used it for its intended purpose. Do you now turn around and blame the person who gave you the $5.oo? Does your mom now blame that person as well?Here is another example (my apologies to the Ghanaians):Ghana won its independence in 1957, the same year as Malaysia. In the 1950s both countries were on an economic par – equally poor and equally dependent on the export of raw materials. Today, Ghanaians get by on an average of about $300 per year, while Malaysians earn over $3,000. Ghana is still exporting raw products like cocoa and gold, Malaysia makes its own cars and boasts skyscrapers that rival anything in New York or London. The development of one product – palm oil – tells part of the story. Ghana grows and processes the rich red oil to make soap and cooking. Malaysia – which imported its first palm oil trees from west Africa in the 1950s – has not only become the largest palm oil producer in the world, but has also developed a high-tech industry which makes sophisticated chemicals and food additives from the raw berries. The recently retired Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr Mahathir Mohamad puts it best:”Political stability is extremely important. Without political stability there can be no economic development. People are not going to put money into a place where there is no certainty”.The Malaysian state had established a solid framework of laws that allowed entrepreneurs to flourish. And the lack of such institutional framework is Africa’s problem, not aid.The New York Times question: Why didn’t you get a bond issue going in your native Zambia or other African countries?Ms. Moyo’s reply: Many politicians seem to have a lazy muscle. Issuing a bond would require that the president and the cabinet ministers go out and market their country. Why would they do that when they can just call up the World Bank and say, “Can I please have some money?”My reply:And pray tell who would buy bonds in a country that is not stable? This is business, not philantrophy. Buying bonds require security something that most of our governments seem to be unable or unwilling to provide.

By: chimaoge okezue

chimaoge okezue — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:18:12 +0000

AE of Free State,Your statement is ignorant. Most Africans living in the West send money to their poor relatives back in Africa not to what you stereotypically term “corrupted leaders from their own tribes and clans”Before the credit crunch, according to WORLD BANK, Africans working abroad send over 20 billion US dollars back to their relatives in the continent.

By: Tolu Popoola

Tolu Popoola — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:08:23 +0000

…rather than an outright cancellation of it,A gradual withdrawal of Aid may also be considered…as an absolute withdrawal might be disastrous. Foreign aids should not be routed through African governments, they should be tied to infrastructural development and Multi – Phased projects and organizations that are transparent and accountable.

By: mahamed

mahamed — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 12:40:14 +0000

It is good how this smart girl analyed how aftican,s are passive and i agree her seggestionskeep to that point other Africans also must thing like that