The useless statement on Africa

[Ardo Zubairu]

The problem is that many people seem to be treating Africa like a country as opposed to a continent. The phrase "I'm sending aid to Africa," to me, is kind of a useless statement. Africa is huge. Africa has a lot of countries in it. You can not "aid Africa" because either you're spending far too small of an amount of resources or you're trying to spread a lot of resources over a wide amount of countries, thereby making the resources basically small and useless. Action aid international, an international development agency whose aim is to fight poverty worldwide, has long indicated that the amount they spent on aid to poor countries especially to Africa. In the same token, professor Jeffery Sachs in his book titled: “the end of poverty: how we can make it happen in our lifetime” gave a vivid vindication to this assertion. Sachs graphically mentioned that the amount of aid per year is just $30 per sub-Saharan African in 2002 from entire world. Further breakdown of this amount shows that $5 goes to the various consultants from donor countries; more than $3 went to food and emergency aid, $4 for servicing debts and $5 for debt relief operations.finally, indeed, it is only $12 that went to Africa in the name of aid. Please I want to see your reply on how $12 or so can help in eradicating poverty or even add to the quality of that is being talked about. As for me it is useless statement on aid to Africa! That’s my honest assessment!
Regards
Ardo Zubairu
Abuja-Nigeria
West Africa.

[CNagy]

As of 1997, the population of Subsaharan Africa was about 622 million. In five years, I'd expect that to have grown quite a bit, but since I can't find the 2002 population numbers, let's just use the 1997 numbers for a conservative view of how much aid that is.

622 million people x $12 = 7.464 Billion Dollars.

Ending poverty is not accomplished by giving everyone money. Ending poverty is done by setting up social and government structures that then cater to the people of the country. It is by setting up schools and educating the populace that poverty is reduced (because it will never be removed completely.) We do not owe Subsaharan Africa a debt, this is a kindness. Would things be different without that nearly seven and a half billion dollars? I don't know, but perhaps you should look to how that money is being spent (servicing debts and debt relief? Not exactly a great way to help your population in the here and now) rather than simply assert that the rest of the world is not kind enough in their gift giving.

[Ardo Zubairu]

oh wo please think of three centuries of slavery that africa endured.

[Dr. Hobo is my hero]

America owing Africa because of slaving is kind of far fetched. Granted we have had the most civil repercussions with slavery but we wouldn't owe another continent first over our own citizens. And slave trading was around far before the Colonies were established. You'd have to repay everyone everywhere for slave trading. Not to mention everyone has been slaves from Blacks, Whites, American Indians, Asians and so on.

As far as aid goes I agree with cnagy. In order to reduce poverty the level of education needs to be raised and more stable government systems need to be created. Poverty will never be totally eliminated but it can be reduced.

[Spaatz965]

The nations of Africa appear to be uniformly corrupt and run by hoodlums. What level of financial aid will address the problems that African governments seem to be unwilling to accept assistance with?

Kofi Annan (From Ghanna) has led the United Nations with apparent nepotism leading to criminal fraud (ala the Iraqi oil for food program).

Angola and Sierra Leone have been tearing themselves appart, destroying and maiming the population over lust for diamonds.

Nigeria's chief income seems to be from Advanced Fee Fraud, commonly refered to as the NIGERIAN 411 scam.

Kenya ranks among the world's most corrupt countries on Transparency International's latest index.

Liberia has just agreed to International Anti-Corruption oversight...they were facing the International communitiy disengaging from Liberia if it didn't happen.

Somalia remains overrun by pirates and warlords, hijacking foodshipments, despite international efforts to ensure aid gets through.

Zimbabwe has been criticized by the United Nations for tearing down legally built homes in "operation drive out filth"

So...where does that $12/person really go?

[CNagy]

oh wo please think of three centuries of slavery that africa endured.

The rest of the world didn't take Africans by force. Africans sold their brethren into slavery, and continued to do so throughout the entirety of the slave trade. So no, the rest of the world doesn't owe Africa anything, but we would be benefitted by helping all of the peoples of Africa learn to help themselves and better themselves.

[Pfalzer]

Should stop giving aid to africa until it starts cleaning itself up from the inside out. Most of its problems started from within and can be fixed from within it doesnt require USD and Euros to fix.

[Ardo Zubairu]

Cnagy have you ever read about history of slavery ? and of recent apartheid of south Africa?

[Enjoy]

Yes. We're actually quite educated on the subject of slavery.

[Monkey]

Should stop giving aid to africa until it starts cleaning itself up from the inside out. Most of its problems started from within and can be fixed from within it doesnt require USD and Euros to fix.


Stopping aid is a bad idea. The problem with Africa is the leaders of the countries. Stopping the aid will not make their lives any less cushy, it'll just make the citizens lives worse. When the citizens lives get to such a bad state that they are dying by droves then you get lots of civil disobedience. Could even lead to civil war.

What's needed is to fundamentally shake up the leadership in these various countries. No idea how, but at the moment a large portion of the aid moeny is being siphoned off into their coffers while only a smaller amount is making it to the people.

A small amount is better than nothing though.

[Ev0]

I agree with most people in this thread, real change will only come around when the corrupt governments that are overrunning the African continent become a thing of the past. Once we get rid of them, real progress can be made.

Also, educating the public is a very good idea. I think educating people properly could really help the aids situation over there.

[DaQuestioner]

A couple of misconceptions...

please think of three centuries of slavery that africa endured

The vast majority of the African continent had nothing whatsoever to do with slavery one way or the other. The trans-atlantic slavery occured primarily in the south western coastline of Africa: the trans-saharan slavery occured around certain North African countries.

The rest of the world didn't take Africans by force. Africans sold their brethren into slavery, and continued to do so throughout the entirety of the slave trade

Not true. First of all, trans-atlantic slavery (which I think you're referring to) is not the only example of slavery that took place on the continent. Many Trans-saharan slaves WERE taken by force and sent to Asia minor. The Roman empire's colonies in North Africa had slaves - many of which were taken by force by non-Africans.

[Pfalzer]

I agree with most people in this thread, real change will only come around when the corrupt governments that are overrunning the African continent become a thing of the past. Once we get rid of them, real progress can be made.

Also, educating the public is a very good idea. I think educating people properly could really help the aids situation over there.

No offense but aids and africa are almost a lost caus ewe eithe rneed to find a cure soon or let the aid generations just die out. I know its harsh but i dont think we are ogign to be able to fix it for awhile and it jus steadily gets worse and mutates over there. I think it would be better to let it die out. Get the poeple without aids out of there something or the peopel with aids have to be confined within their continent im not jus tlaking about africa everywhere but then again im very paranoid about diseases and such but we need a cure now! if not we need to fix this thing.

[Kustom]

Having lived in East Africa, I had the constant feeling that the leaders in the countries I visited were busy spending all of their budget on weapons and a growing military. The only place where I had a sense that things went differently was Uganda, which is doing much better than most countries in Africa and which benefited from relatively good governance. Uganda does not receive more aid than any other African government, yet for all of Museveni's downsides, it's a pretty good place to live in.

The problem with aid to Africa is not that much more should be given: Africa already receives a lot more than other parts of the world; it is that donors donate as a "feel-good" activity and do not actually care who pockets the money or what impact it really has on the ground.

My gut feeling is that Africa does not need more money but better ideas to get out of poverty. I could tell you about all the administrations that received brand new computers from aid agencies that ended up being dumped because nobody knew how to repair them when they broke down. Follow-up is what is missing. Donating without any actual plan in mind is useless.