Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo

I remember picking up this book, Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo, in the Waterstones bookstore in Oxford, in the town centre: sometime in November 2008 I think. I was drawn to the book because my ideas and position on aid had began to crystallize and I found it strange that someone else had written a book about it already - as if I have a monopoly on ideas.

I read some parts of the book and planned to buy it sometime and today I came across this interview on Fora.tv while eating my diner. Excellent interview, great ideas - she speaks with authority and eloquence on a sensitive issue.

Who is going to be our benevolent dictator to take us where our angel investors will not lead us?

Lack of political will impoverishes South African fishermen

"When my belly is crying I must fill it. I can sit on the side of the road and beg for bread, but there is the bread right there," says Hahn Goliath, a fisherman in the small village of Doring Bay on South Africa's West Coast, as he points furiously at the Atlantic Ocean. [Full Story at IPSNews.net]

A summary of the situation is that the allocation of fishing licenses allocated by the South African government does not include the subsistence fishing community, who have to try and eek out a leaving on the recreational fishing rights which are inadequate. For the details please refer to the main article.

While the problem is clear and alternative solutions and recommendations are available, there is a lack of urgency and political will to make things right. Is there an epidemic of indifference among African politicians or has there been an “explosion of bozos” among the ruling class? (For more about “explosion of bozos”)

In harmony with the poverty inflicted on our South African brothers and sisters, I am reminded of this impassioned plea made by Sylvia Earle to protect the world’s oceans. In the middle of our crises and struggle for development there is an opportunity for us on the continent not to fall into the same pillaging practices that are plaguing our Western and Eastern cousins, and which have and will continue to affect all of us – directly or indirectly. How? I am not too sure but I can ask the questions and hope that you might have the answers.

“Sweden finances war in Africa”

Is the stunning title of a book written by a Swedish journalist, Bengt Nilsson and reviewed by New African magazine. Read it here.

The author makes the case that the money to finance the wars in Africa has to come from somewhere and so goes about following the paper trail which leads him back to his own country. Using sources such as Oxfam, Economist Paul Collier (who’s book “The Bottom Billion” seeks to address aid and other issues) and local accounts he shows how aid can easily be diverted from its intended goals and worst still, condoned by the inaction of the donor country – in this case, Sweden.

I hoped that this blog would not turn into a summary bashing of the aid agenda but what can I say now? Hopefully, these revelations can lead to a better measure of transparency and debate of the aid dogma. Aid has it’s place but ineptitude mixed with good intentions is a 4 lane superhighway to hell. If your friend is an alcoholic do not give him whisky when he says he’s thirsty.

EU Rejects Nigeria’s Request For Trade Deal

"the Commission said that Nigeria does not meet the requirements for the status because of its refusal to ratify the Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide."

This is an interesting article that highlights the nuances of international trade agreements. According to the EU the primary aim of the "Generalized System of Preferences" that Nigeria was applying for,

"is to contribute to the reduction of poverty and the promotion of sustainable development and good governance."

But their refusal to grant Nigeria this privileged trade status is costing the country $4o0,00 a month from January 1st, 2008. Why Nigeria failed to meet the 27 specified conventions ranging from human rights to labor laws is unknown to us but looking at the list, you can ask yourself, is ratifying the Kyoto protocol a necessary step for trade especially for developing countries? What has it go to do with developing countries anyway since the protocol is intended for the 37 industrialized countries and the European community? The Kyoto protocol provides assistance to developing countries for,

"...development and deployment of techniques that can help increase resilience to the impacts of climate change."

through the Adaptation Fund but isn't this another "barrier"? Imagine that, sitting in your hut waiting for some good prices for your cocoa while men in suits are flying around making ink stains on pieces of paper, about a treaty that has little

to do with you. Why not start the fair trade, let us develop some independence and we won't even need the "adaptation" fund because we can do things for ourselves.

I'm beginning to think that these rules are made less for the common good but to build an intricate system of dependence in which developing countries will remain subservient despite their economic potential.

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