Is it worth sending aid to Africa

[t1grm]

Is it worth sending aid to Africa when this sort of thing is going on:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4205651.stm

[GasBlaster]

Unfortunately sending aid to third world is sometimes poor people in rich countries sending money to rich people in poor countries.

[peterpeter]

No of course its not worth it.....

Because of this sort of thing, we should let millions of people die from starvation ,murder and disease...

I mean, they just dont deserve it do they?

The cheek.

[t1grm]

Well what is the point when half of the money doesn’t get to where it’s intended? Surely our efforts would be better directed at fighting the corruption? It’s like pouring water into a bucket full of holes.

[peterpeter]

t1grm said:

Well what is the point when half of the money doesn’t get to where it’s intended? Surely our efforts would be better directed at fighting the corruption? It’s like pouring water into a bucket full of holes.

Half the money....

Are you a charity accountant ?

And where in that report does it actually say that money we sent was used to buy these cars.??

[Lois]

Half the money can still save innocent lives and help them to make the most of their lives as they can.

[rich1231]

50% of nothing is nothing/nada nil etc
50% of a million is half a mil
The aid saves lives whatever the proportion that reaches the hungry and sick

[t1grm]

peterpeter said:

t1grm said: Well what is the point when half of the money doesn’t get to where it’s intended? Surely our efforts would be better directed at fighting the corruption? It’s like pouring water into a bucket full of holes. Half the money....

Yes you’re right. By the time the charities have taken their “administration fees” from the donations and then what actually gets to the target countries is distributed in bribes it’s probably a significantly lower percentage than half.

peterpeter said:

Are you a charity accountant ? And where in that report does it actually say that money we sent was used to buy these cars.??

No I agree this wasn’t charity money but perhaps if they spent their own money on their needy citizens instead of 4x4 for state employees then the developed world would need to pour less cash into the region.

[kenny chim 4]

Mmm, nice:

http://africa.iafrica.com/c2cnews/399879.htm

Can anyone find a link to see how much Britain has supported successive Malawi governments?

[peterpeter]

kenny chim 4 said:

Mmm, nice: http://africa.iafrica.com/c2cnews/399879.htm Can anyone find a link to see how much Britain has supported successive Malawi governments?

yes thats an awful story...there are plenty more im sure corruption is rife.
But thats not the fault of people who are starving, so why do people like to lump them together under the "africa" label.???

[968]

t1grm said:

No I agree this wasn’t charity money but perhaps if they spent their own money on their needy citizens instead of 4x4 for state employees then the developed world would need to pour less cash into the region.

Funny, I don't remember Malawi being the major recipient to the aid that is being sent to Africa, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia maybe, but Malawi?

[t1grm]

Yes they are:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1002178.stm

bbc said:

Malawi is the third largest recipient of British foreign aid.

[968]

t1grm said:

Yes they are: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1002178.stm bbc said: Malawi is the third largest recipient of British foreign aid.

well i stand corrected.

however, i think the other posters are correct here, 50% is still 50% which is better than nothing and the people who are suffering there will keep suffering unless we help

[t1grm]

Actually I stand corrected. That article was written in 2000. According to the DFID’s own figures Malawi was the 9th highest recipient of British aid in 2003/04.

www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/sid2004/sid2004-table6.pdf

Still near the top of the pecking order then.

As an aside why is India the second largest benefactor of UK foreign aid in 2003/04? They’re hardly struggling themselves ATM and I was under the impression that they are all set to be a strategic economic rival to the west in the not too distant future. I assume these figures are not recent enough to be affected by the Tsunami.

[kenny chim 4]

t1grm said:

As an aside why is India the second largest benefactor of UK foreign aid in 2003/04? They’re hardly struggling themselves ATM and I was under the impression that they are all set to be a strategic economic rival to the west in the not too distant future. I assume these figures are not recent enough to be affected by the Tsunami.

How these 2nd and 3rd world 'governments' have the audacity to be so patently money grabbing, wihilst their people suffer, amazes me.

This is from Sri Lanka:

www.southasianmedia.net/cnn.cfm?id=176109&category=Economy&Country=SRI%20LANKA

[kenny chim 4]

And, so much for the 'percieved successful' African nation goverments. Check this-

www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2005/01/25/2003220895

That's just one tiny story of S.A corruption. It would break your heart to realise the full scale of the theft!

I understand the humanity issue- but please don't contribute to these utterly self-serving, corrossive regimes.. I hope Oxfam, Christian Aid etc. don't.

[bruciebabie]

t1grm said:

Is it worth sending aid to Africa when this sort of thing is going on: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4205651.stm

The ruling classes in Africa are grossly incompetent and highly corrupt. They spend any money they can get by whatever means on themselves. Sending any money to Africa is a totally lost cause. Releasing the corrupt African money from Swiss bank accounts would pay for a lot.
Go back 30 years and Asia was just as poor as Africa. The well run, low corruption countries like Singapore, Malaya, South Korea and Taiwan are now rich countries. The badly run, high corruption countries like the Phillipines and Indonesia are still in the gutter. How much of the billions in tsunami aid is going to go to the victims in Indonesia? The corrupt fat cats are going to make a killing.
If I was in charge the only aid I would provide is education. With that they could solve all their problems themselves.

[Dave 4000]

I don't think anybody is or could suggest that the people suffering around the world due to poverty/war/famine/disease etc. do not deserve aid whether it be in the form of Government or charitable aid, but the fact that this aid is not a new idea and that it seems that it continuing or even increasing must suggest that it is not working. Surely a better strategy would be to help the Governments of those aid receiving nations to eradicate the corruption that is draining their economies (and no I don’t mean the George W. Bush method)

Information from the CIA fact book on The Sudan


Current account balance:
$-718 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$2.45 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - partners:
China 40.9%, Saudi Arabia 17.2%, UAE 5.4% (2003)

Imports:
$2.383 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 16.3%, China 14.2%, UK 5%, Germany 4.9%, India 4.8%, France 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$847.2 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$16.09 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$172 million (2001)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$581 million (2001 est.)


On the basis that I believe the CIA has nothing to gain by fabricating these figures and until other evidence is produced, I am willing to except these findings as true.

[bruciebabe]

Dave 4000 said:

I don't think anybody is or could suggest that the people suffering around the world due to poverty/war/famine/disease etc. do not deserve aid whether it be in the form of Government or charitable aid, but the fact that this aid is not a new idea and that it seems that it continuing or even increasing must suggest that it is not working. Surely a better strategy would be to help the Governments of those aid receiving nations to eradicate the corruption that is draining their economies (and no I don’t mean the George W. Bush method) Information from the CIA fact book on The Sudan Current account balance: $-718 million (2004 est.) Exports: $2.45 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports - partners: China 40.9%, Saudi Arabia 17.2%, UAE 5.4% (2003) Imports: $2.383 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 16.3%, China 14.2%, UK 5%, Germany 4.9%, India 4.8%, France 4.1% (2003) Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $847.2 million (2004 est.) Debt - external: $16.09 billion (2004 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $172 million (2001) Military expenditures - dollar figure: $581 million (2001 est.) On the basis that I believe the CIA has nothing to gain by fabricating these figures and until other evidence is produced, I am willing to except these findings as true.

Sudan is a substantial oil exporter. I was there last year and the poverty and corruption have to be seen to be believed. The people are great though.

[alfaman]

bruciebabie said:

t1grm said: Is it worth sending aid to Africa when this sort of thing is going on: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4205651.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4205651.stm</a> The ruling classes in Africa are grossly incompetent and highly corrupt. They spend any money they can get by whatever means on themselves. Sending any money to Africa is a totally lost cause. Releasing the corrupt African money from Swiss bank accounts would pay for a lot. Go back 30 years and Asia was just as poor as Africa. The well run, low corruption countries like Singapore, Malaya, South Korea and Taiwan are now rich countries. The badly run, high corruption countries like the Phillipines and Indonesia are still in the gutter. How much of the billions in tsunami aid is going to go to the victims in Indonesia? The corrupt fat cats are going to make a killing. If I was in charge the only aid I would provide is education. With that they could solve all their problems themselves.

You are right - and the corruption has been going on for decades:

Free / cheap medicines and drugs never reach the intended recipients - they are sold to buy Mercs for the chiefs.

A Uni friend who worked in Zaire told countless tales of receiving crates of rocks rather than medicines and aid - the goods had been replaced by rocks by customs/government/tribal chiefs etc. etc.

It is not in the interest of African rulers to end the corruption - they would lose out personally to the tune of £ millions , and true democracy would probably result in the leaders being lynched by the poor - so the system is likley to continue forever ... sad and harsh but true.