CHARLIE ROSE: Your thesis in [your new book] “Dead Aid” is?
DAMBISA MOYO: My thesis is two parts. Essentially first of all a critique of the billion dollar government to government aid packages that have gone to Africa, now totaling over a trillion dollars in the past 60 years. But the second half of the book which I consider actually more important, is, are the prescriptions for actually getting Africa on track to achieve long-term economic development and become an equal partner in the global stage.
CHARLIE ROSE: And aid is preventing that?
DAMBISA MOYO: Absolutely. The types of aid that I’m talking about, I’m not talking about humanitarian or emergency aid, sort of the aid that goes for tsunami, for example. Nor am I talking about NGO or charitable aid which is relatively small beer. I myself sit on the board of a number of charities. But I think it’s important where charities are concerned to understand what they can and cannot do. So they can provide Band-Aid solutions. So we can send a girl to school for example, but they cannot deliver long-term economic development growth and growth or alleviate poverty on the level that we want to see across the continent.
I couldn’t agree more, and Miss Moyo’s research largely confirms George Ayittey’s that Western aid has been a pernicious influence in Africa. Also, and regrettably, one of the most-consumed Western exports has been collectivism in all its loathsome flavors, a phenomenon that has resulted in an endless series of corrupt, incompetent governments attempting to plan their societies’ economies with the standard attendant chaos and collapse that brings.
Africa needs investment in productive enterprise, not more dirigiste twaddle from guilt-ridden Western elites.
Speaking as one who has supported World Vision and its mission (my son-in-law is an executive with them) I must say I agree. And I think my son-in-law would, too.
We have always known that (1)sending aid to governments ALWAYS deputes or detours the money and (2) causing a person who receives aid to do so “gratefully” is dehumanizing. Moreover, the old adage about feeding a person vs teaching him how to grow his own food–and then letting him do so on his own–is true.
This certainly points up the dilemma we Christians–especially we white, Anglo-Saxon Christians–face when we give alms. Doesn’t it say somewhere to do so quietly and in the dark so no one sees you?
I know folks who have witnessed the problems when one child in a village is “supported” by a “patron” in the US. Her comment about sending one child to school is telling.
I have also just finished “Three Cups of Tea” about starting schools in remote villages in Pakistan. I’m not sure if this is even the best thing for them–they had to wait for Greg Mortenson and his team to do the work.
Being a Christian in a fallen world is hard!!!
Dr. Joan, our parish solved that dilemma by capitalizing a small bicycle trailer fabrication shop in Rwanda. There was no competing company that we knew of, there was a definite market for the trailers and the shop was soon self-supporting. The last I heard, the place was gainfully employing around 20 people (who were learning useful skills like machining and welding) and the trailers were a huge hit for people who used to lug water long distances or are now earning a living as a bicycle taxi operator.
It’s not a Rwandan Microsoft, but it’s wealth-creating.
I heard her in an earlier interview by the BBC. Quite impressive.
“Dambisa Moyo”, I believe.
I do know that World Vision funds small business “start ups” as in India. I also know they distribute goods to schools and local agencies in an effort to make the receipt of those goods at least appear to come from the local people, NOT the government.
I suspect other NGO’s struggle with the same types of situations.
Like I said: Being a Christian in a fallen world is hard!