Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Wittingly and otherwise

While reviewing a book on foreign aid to African countries Witney W. Schneidman says:

  • “the best way donors could help Africa today would be to phone officials there and tell them all aid will be cut off within five years. Given recent calls by Bono, the economist Jeffrey Sachs, and others to increase aid, Moyo's thesis is controversial, to put it mildly. And it's also misleading in several key ways. But it's worth taking seriously, for it's already caused a huge sensation in the donor community and among Africans frustrated by the slow pace of development—and eager for ways to speed the process.
  • current aid should be designed in a way that makes it less necessary in the future is essential if the continent is ever to manage on its own.
  • But it would be better still if it's an African leader who makes the call, with a simple message: "Thanks, but no thanks; we've learned to finance development on our own."

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