Why Development Aid for Africa Has Failed
Mon, 2010-08-16 14:07
#1
Sven
Why Development Aid for Africa Has Failed
Mon, 2010-08-16 14:18
#2
Sven
This piece from [url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,712068,00.html][color=b... Spiegel[/u][/color][/url] raises some interesting questions: Why have decades of foreign development aid to Africa failed and what is a better alternative? And an underlying question is: What responsibility, if any, do foreigners have to cause development in Africa?
Mon, 2010-08-16 14:21
#3
Sven, I'm going to ask you to stick your neck out first, on this one, rather than sitting back and watching the carnage. You do understand. Descendants of the American slave-owning system must have an answer to this down pat.
Mon, 2010-08-16 14:27
#4
Sven
Actually, GV, I don't have a "pat" answer. But, it seems as though after decades of engaging in massive foreign development aid, the results indicate that it's largely a failure. Therefore, what are some good alternatives?
A friend of mine encouraged me to read about the work in Bangladesh of Muhammed Yunis, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. He has some very interesting ideas about micro-lending, which is touched on in the Der Spiegel piece.
Mon, 2010-08-16 14:29
#5
But your question is, why hasn't the other stuff worked? Any ideas?
Mon, 2010-08-16 14:31
#6
Sven
But your question is, why hasn't the other stuff worked? Any ideas?
The article addresses that specific question. My question is: What are the alternatives.
Mon, 2010-08-16 14:39
#7
Any ideas yourself?
Mon, 2010-08-16 14:42
#8
Sven
Any ideas yourself?
As I noted, the ideas of Muhammad Yunus represent one very intriguing alternative.
Mon, 2010-08-16 16:00
#9
Right
Mon, 2010-08-16 16:35
#10
Snert
If something costs billions of dollars and isn't working, it seems reasonable to ask "why not?"
George, you seem almost about to say something out loud, like you're walking riiiiight up to the edge... but then you don't.
Mon, 2010-08-16 19:35
#11
Ridicilous debts owed to the west isn't helping. Greg Palast described how companies and vulture funds buy up African debts at rock bottom prices and then sue those governments for the original principal amounts owed plus criminal rates of interest. China with its no imperialist strings/ball and chain approach is becoming an alternative source of financing for African development.
Has Harper increased or decreased Canadian financial aid to African countries?
Tue, 2010-08-17 02:30
#12
N.Beltov
I think the looting of Africa under the nefarious umbrella of predatory lending agencies like the IMF, the World Bank, and so on, should come to an end. This includes countries like Canada trying to strong arm poor countries into supporting the monstrous foreign policy of Canada through blackmail and such techniques in "aid" agencies.
Is that what ya meant Sven? lol.
Tue, 2010-08-17 14:26
#13
N.Beltov
The problem with foreign aid: a memoir from RABBLE.CA by Dave Bennett
Arriving in Jakarta, 24 of us assembled in the Canadian Embassy for "orientation" before performing our first mission for CIDA in Kupang, West Timor.I can still remember the embassy spokesman's stunning words: "Now don't go getting in any trouble. Remember, we're not here for you!"
"Then what ARE you here for?" one of us asked. The reply was like this: "Our job here is to promote trade." That was the beginning of the end of my innocence about foreign aid.
It's about preserving and promoting capitalism. And feathering the nest of the corrupt ... whatever country they're in.