Apropriate Development

Generally, I agree with Dambisa Moyo's statements regarding foreign aid in Africa. Corruption has been part of the aid game with receiving, distributing, pocketing, and continually signing new aid agreements for new or the same projects over and over again. I agree that there is continued dependency on external aid programs which may be reduced if foreign aid is tapered off. African governments which are forced, or finally allowed, to develop their own strategies, and monitor their own programs, as well as respond to their own people with popular and effective development programs would create a more self-reliant Africa. Clearing the slate and allowing African governments to design their development strategies with investment (foreign as well as domestic) as the basis for economic development without transfers of aid would give Africa an opportunity to stand solely on its own two feet.

Yet, I wonder if I am ignoring what may be a much more complex situation with an observation that is too simplistic. Many governments have to ask for loans and foreign aid when they reach the point of crisis during oil or food crises. The cost of oil and food rises significantly and the country may not have the foreign exchange reserves to cover the high increases. Periods of drought or other conditions that have led to a weakened domestic agricultural sector such as cheap imports, or the lack of resources such as oil, external reliance on imports which become very costly, cause internal catastrophes such as rioting, violence, starvation and the like. Moyo is right, the end of dependence on aid should be in sight while foreign direct investment increases, but this needs to go hand in hand with the increase of strategies and policies that develop stable political systems, economies, infrastructure, and institutions, as well as fair terms of trade in the world economy, and until this time, there will need to be some safety nets provided by foreign aid. Finally, without political will, aid will remain at the heart of development.