Jay Marcyes

My favorite quote:

The solution to malaria, much like varied solutions to ending our addiction to aid, can be found within Africa. My problem with the strategy of dealing with malaria employed by Malaria No More, Nothing but Nets, et al is that it erodes the ability of local capacity to deal with this problem. It is also not infinitely sustainable, and dare I say it,  smacks of paternalistic ethos. It’s a band-aid on a gashing wound. It’s the “fly-to-Africa-and-adopt-a-brown-baby-instead-of-investing-in-a-sustainable-business-that-can-help-the-entire-family” syndrome. Africa’s capacity to tackle these issues is vastly eroded by a Western celebrity culture of “look at me, look at me, I am saving Africa”-ism, and the misguided notion that Africans can’t do anything for ourselves, therefore it is the West’s right to do things for us. (emphasis mine)

This whole post reminded me of a review by Gilbert Cruz of the book Dead Aid by Dambiso Moyo:

Poor Africa, it's both the literal and figurative meanings of the phrase that gall Dambisa Moyo. A Zambian-born, Harvard -and Oxford- educated economist who worked at Goldman Sachs for almost a decade, Moyo is paritcularly angry at the way overly solicitous Western financial aid has made Africa's "poor poorer." As she writes, "The notion taht aid can alleviate systemic poverty...is a myth." That $1 trillion-plus the U.S. has poured into Africa? Mostly useless. All that bono-supported "glamour aid"? Somewhat insulting. The truth, Moyo argues, is that massice foreign aid encourages corruption and stifles the investment and free enterprise that can provide long-term stability. Her alternative solutions include widespread microfinancing and unfettered agricultural trade with the West. Africa could also use more foreign direct investment -- which China regularly provides, despite howls over its deals with the continents more unsavory regimes. Still, Moyo notes, China's "foray into Africa is all business" --there's not a smidgen of pity invloved. Which is the way it should be.

You know what they say, "the path to a poorer and more corrupt Africa is paved with good intentions."

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