Why Foreign Aid Is Not The Solution For The Problems Facing Africa.

The thinking for development strategies must originate from within African nations.

For several decades, foreign donors to Africa, in particular to the nations of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have included wealthy developed nations, United Nations agencies, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, major Foundations and philanthropic organizations including religious entities. These donors have had some notable success. A clear example is the near total eradication of polio in Africa. In addition, the foreign benefactors have made significant sacrifice, sometimes paying the ultimate price — — loss of life.

Despite the huge amount of outside financial and human capital invested in the region in the past six decades, and despite its enormous natural and human resources, SSA has failed to make a substantial reduction in its poverty level. Furthermore, the deficits in its infrastructure, healthcare systems, education, and in other sectors like public safety continue to mount. Thus, it is obvious that foreign Aid is not the solution to the complex problems of this region.

The coupling of exponential increase in the number of foreign donors and the deepening poverty of hundreds of millions of the inhabitants of the region is a paradox that must be addressed boldly with fresh insights. If the foreign donors stick to the same old playbook, not much will be accomplished by the “war on poverty” in the nations of SSA.

A major paradigm shift in the structure and delivery of foreign aid to SSA is absolutely necessary. The new strategy should include several basic elements.

1. The donors must demand honest governance, accountability, and transparency from the leaders of the recipient nations.
2. The donors should be prepared to at least temporarily suspend their support if there are no credible anti-corruption measures in the recipient nations. This is crucial because most of these failing nations are plagued with endemic corruption at virtually all levels of government.
3. There must be a fundamental change in the mechanism of the delivery of foreign aid on the ground in these nations. Rather than completing the “thinking process” for the programs or projects in New York City, Washington D.C., London, Paris, Brussel, Berlin, Tokyo, Beijing or New Delhi, the natives in Africa must provide intellectual and cultural input.
4. The donors must help the recipients with acquisition of the knowledge to maintain and sustain the programs and projects after the donors make their exit. Without the capability of the natives to maintain the programs and projects, everything is guaranteed to decay within a short period.

These steps are easier said than done, the reader will probably proclaim. I completely agree. If it is easy, success would not have eluded all the well funded world experts and their programs over the past six decades. There lies the challenge. That is why the burden is on Sub-Saharan Africans, especially the leaders to formulate viable and sustainable solutions to the problems facing their nations . Sadly, many of the leaders have a different agenda. They are only interested in lining their pockets and fattening their global bank accounts and those of their cronies.

The growing role of non-profit organizations (NGOs) in most sectors of development in SSA is an indication of the decreasing capacity of these nations to undertake meaningful development. In addition, the endemic corruption, the inefficiency of these governments and their failure to provide basic services have led many donors to use NGOs rather than the government to provide necessary services for the people.

The ultimate challenge is how to nurture a new and different generation of leaders of SSA. Who will nurture them, in what type of environment will the nurturing take place and who will lead the charge? There lies the dilemma facing these nations, the foreign donors and indeed, mankind.

Do you donate to a good cause in Africa through your favorite NGO, your church, mosque, synagogue, Rotary club or other philanthropic entities? Are you a celebrity who is involved in philanthropic programs and projects in Africa? Are you a government official, career officer in a government agency or elected official in North America, Europe, Asia or Australia who is involved in African policy decisions?

I am sure at some point in the past, even probably recently, you have pondered this issue of efficacy or lack of it, of foreign aid to Africa especially Sub-Saharan Africa. Please be assured that you that you are not alone. Many of us, sons and daughters of SSA both in the homeland and in the diaspora share your concerns and frustrations and we thank you for your benevolence.

Welcome to this dialogue. As will be shown in subsequent postings, this is an issue that requires attention by all sides. The unrelenting poverty in SSA should concern all of us. Why? Because sooner or later the negative consequencies of the grinding poverty in the region will most likely affect the other continental populations not just Africans.