UNITE STATES FOREIGN AID TOWARDS AFRICA:MISGUIDED POLICY;
MUST EITHER BE REVISED, OR TOTALLY ELIMINATED
Below are the words of president Obama in Accra, Ghana, July 2009
“Obama Calls on Africans to Claim Their Future [...] So I do not see the countries and peoples of Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world -- as partners with America on behalf of the future we want for all of our children. That partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility and mutual respect. We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans. President Obama, Accra, Ghana, July 2009”
While there are there are no doubt that United States is the richest and most democratic government on earth, it may also be considered the most giving country of all countries in terms of Foreign Aids. According to available facts, the United States of America spends approximately $50 billion a year in Foreign Aids, of this amount, it is estimated that about $9 billion goes to the African continent. Almost 50% of this Aid goes to about six countries that are considered United States’ allies in the campaigns against terror and drug trafficking. The countries are Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Columbia, Egypt, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Pakistan. These six countries have so much in common: corrupt leadership, undemocratic.
According to Transparency International which publishes an annual corruption index, It’s is called Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).www.transparency. In the case of Africa, there is an abundanceof human, natural, and economic resource to make the continent one of the most affluent and progressive continent but bad governance, dependency on United States constant and free Foreign Aid with no string attached has helped in creating a continent of dependency and corruption. While countries like China and Russia are too busy pursuing a vigorously economic and long term strategic partnership with Africa, United States is too busy chasing around drug lords and militant fundamentalist all over the globe. The money the United States government spent on Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, if a quarter of it has been spent on Africa, the continent would have experience a “facelift “both in human and economic aspects.
United States needs to give or help African continent and her people develop the tools they need to be self –sufficient. While the Middle East is no doubt strategically significant to United States economic and military interests, Middle East compared to Africa has limited resources; namely oil. Africa has the all the natural mineral resources abundantly than any other continent. Having suffered colonialism and slavery trade by the west and especially America, Africa and her people still considers America as her best hope and friend, especially in times of great difficulty. While several countries have tried in many ways to harm America and her people, through terrorism, economic sabotage, copy right piracy, industrial espionage, one could hardly tie any of these efforts to Africa or her people, even though Africa’s long suffering could well be liked to slavery and colonialism.
I am herby arguing that the United States should forge a more comprehensive strategic and economic alliance with Africa. United States should pattern with Africa in becoming a democratic and economically dependent continent. Unlike the Middle East where the United States spends billions of her tax payers’ dollars supporting a futile democracy, the good news is that in the case of Africa, all the resources needed both human and natural are there, and just need to be developed. It amazes me that the United States is willing and able to lose as many lives as needed to pursue her military and economic goal in the middle east, yet when it came to Africa as in the case of Somalia for example, United states packed her bags and left after one of her military helicopter went down and a few soldiers killed, and has never returned back again. Today, Somalia, and some other east African countries have been run over by Muslim fundamentalist, militants and terrorists.
Could you imagine that in Nigeria for example, ( the most populous country in Africa) Chinese companies and their government are too busy buying and setting up companies and working hand in hand to develop the economy of the country. During a formal audit of one of Nigeria’s major power plant built by a Chinese company, the operational manual of the plant was printed in C Chinese alone that caused the Nigeria government to shut the plant down because Nigerian engineers could not read and translate the working manual. While this sounded like an oversight or minor mistake, the real reason is that the Chinese wants to be the only ones operating this plant, and so far it is working. In Nigeria today and other African countries, Chinese government are building and funding several technical schools, hospitals, and other essential infrastructure all over Africa. Chinese based language schools are “hot cakes” in several parts of Africa. I am ready to bet anyone that in the next 15 to 25 years, the next “great war” will be fought in Africa, but this time it will be economic dominance and not a nuclear war.There is a saying in major cities all over Africa that the former president Bill Clintonand Present Obama are more popular that any African ahead of state in their respective countries.
History will not have it will if the first United States President of African Immigrant father did not significantly impact the continent is a very significant way. If President Obama could not convince the policy makers in Washington Dc to have a second look at Africa, in my opinion, no other president in the near future will. United States should help Africa by fighting corruption; not recognize fraudulently elected official, not allow them to travel to the states, restrict US banks from doing business with rouge and corrupt leaders. It is estimate that about 40% of Africa’s GNP is wasted through corruption.
The United States should help Africa develop Africa’s economy because Africa will be the next emerging economic power just like South Korean, China, Taiwan, Brazil, because new middle class in Africa means new market for American industries and products and services. Just as America depends on China for cheap products, the same can be said of Africa. Allowing China and Europeans to continue with free “economic grab” is in my opinion a big economic and strategic and costly mistake for Americas in the years to come
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