Dr. Coutinho’s Dead Aid Critique on Huffington Post
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The Huffington Post is running a piece by Dr. Alex G. Coutinho critiquing Dambisa Moyo’s book Dead Aid. You can follow our coverage of this Hot Topic here.
Excerpts below, full piece here
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Africa’s problems are predominantly those of a systematic failure to harness the full potential of its people. Countries that first invest in their people by educating them, protecting their health and providing opportunities inside and outside their countries are those countries that have progressed, with stable economies, a higher GDP and “happiness factor.” In addition countries like India and China have huge internal markets which give these countries considerable insulation from export-driven economic vagaries.
Africa needs to focus on social development — health, education and job creation, while at the same time developing its production capacities and as large an internal market as possible. The other necessary ways forward are, of course, visionary leadership, eradication of corruption, good stewardship of natural resources and, for a while at least, management of Africa’s burgeoning population till generated resources can support larger populations.
I do share the same aspiration for a prosperous Africa that is not dependent on crumbs from the rich. Nonetheless we are now in an interconnected global economy and global destiny and the solutions to underdevelopment do include aid — albeit aid that is linked to social welfare and development, rather than aid to build up armies or aid in return for mortgaging the natural wealth of a country to another “model” development partner.
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-Chris Scott
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April 1, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Thanks for this link, Chris, I’m definitely going to check Dr. Coutinho’s piece out. Dr. Alex Coutinho should be very familiar to those of us at ONE.
For several years, Dr. Coutinho was the Exceutive Director of TASO (The AIDS Support Organization) of Uganda – the pre-eminent INDIGENOUS African AIDS organization who have been at the forefront of fighting HIV/AIDS in Uganda & Africa.
Dr. Coutinho comes with the highest moral character and real devotion to improving the standard of living for his fellow Africans and is exactly the sort of TRUS African leader that needs to be appreciated, respected and highlighted more.
Quite honestly, next to Dr. Alex Coutinho, the light of Ms. Moyo appears quite dim.
After the victory in the U.S. Senate today, I am more sure than ever that we will get the money necessary to save millions of lives in Africa in the 2010 U.S. federal budget and I am re-energized and re-invogorated to get out into my community to do more to spread the message of ONE!
ALWAYS ONE in the Spirit, debbie
http://www.mpwn-uganda.org
April 2, 2009 at 4:16 pm
I truely believe that aid to Africa is helping the continent. It is helping us managed malaria, HIV, infants’ death and the more. I am appreciative for that. On the other hand, we must give credence to Miss Moya’s concern and ideas. We may not be able to do away with aid within 5 years as Miss Moya proposed but there has to be a collaboration: Miss Moya’s ideas and that of proponents of aid to Africa in order to help Africa sustain herself and not rely on the west for-ever. I believe that Africa needs to start figuring ways to be in control of her own destiny, not the west, thou they are appreciated.
Constantly relying on someone else to take care of you is completely wrong. The questions I ask are: does Africa wants to recieve aid for-ever? Should’t Africa try to wean herself from aid? If not now, when?
I think that we have been receiving aid so long that some believe it is impossible for Africa to exais without it. Africa must be determined to free herself from aid and take her rightful place in the world. If we don’t, we will always be at the mercy of others and exist without full respect from the rest of the world.
April 2, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Henry, thanks so much for your sincere comments. I can sense your concern for Africa’s Future which is great.
I can not speak for Dr. Coutinho or for the African Continent (actually no one person can speak for all of Africa) but I do want to offer a few ideas regarding your post.
First, African governments have been trying ways for many years to be more self-reliant in terms of providing for their own development needs and some great strides have been made forward.
As I am not an economist or development expert, it’s hard for me to point out all the various efforts going on in African countries to do just as you suggest but if you follow more closely the ONE Blog or follow what is happening with the Millenium Villages project by the UN, I think that you’ll be encourgaed by what you see:
http://www.millenniumvillages.org
To be more independent from foreign assistance, Henry, two things need to take place
1) Africa needs to regain her fair share of world trade that Africa has been cut out on over the last 25 years by institutions such as the World Bank, IMF and the WTO (World Trade Organization).
The Doha Round of meetings have been going on for years in an attempt to negotiate a fairer share of the world’s markets for African goods with very little positive results.
Until the rich countries let down their trade barriers so that Africa can gain greater access to world markets, development assistance will be necessary to support African governments in their drive to improve the standard of living in their countries
2) Forein Assistance needs to be reformed to make it more efficient for Africa’s People
Again, if you follow the ONE Blog, Henry, then you’ll see just how much ONE has supported the idea of reforming our current foreign assistance programs to make them work better for the people of African countries.
If ONE did not want more of the foreign aid that is given to African countries to reach the people at the most grassroots levels, then why would we be supporting reform of our current foreign assistance programs?
One day, we all want to see Africa independent of foreign assistance. But as we work toward that goal, we can NOT just pack up and leave the African People stranded of support.
LET’S BE SENSIBLE with our goal and work steadily but responsibly toward it.
GOD BLESS AFRICA, debbie
April 6, 2009 at 10:09 am
Why can’t African governments be held to the same standards every other government in the world is held to. They are charged with providing for their citizes, and as long as you have all these organizations using Senate influence for more money for Africa, what will happen when the US can’t afford it anymore? Africans need to stand up and handle their problems.