Combating poverty: the charade of development aid
BMJ 2007; 335 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39420.432951.80 (Published 20 December 2007) Cite this as: BMJ 2007;335:1272
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Sir,
I support Ncayiyana's suggestion that international aid should be
managed by independent and accountable agencies instead of politicians and
bureaucracies of donor and recipient countries [1]. Although there are no
easy answers for the dismal result for the $2.3 trillion spent on aid in
the past fifty years, corruption and misplaced priorities, have no doubt
contributed significantly to the outcome.
There is an urgent need for a change of direction. Community
involvement needs to be encouraged if the impact of development aid is to
be felt at local levels. The local people for whom projects are meant know
their priorities and must be carried along in the formulation and
execution of projects with local content being taken into consideration.
In Nigeria, some communities undertake self-help projects based on
their local needs and priorities. They raise funds and execute the
projects through their district/divisional development associations.
Community schools, primary health centres and roads are examples of some
projects undertaken this way by communities. Local people directly
participate in the implementation and maintenance of the projects with a
sense of belonging. Accountability and transparency are ensured by the
people who closely scrutinise the projects. Community leaders and elders
regularly inspect the projects to ensure compliance with agreed plan and
design.
However,financial constraints hamper the execution of some of such
projects in some communities. Direct partnership between donors and
recipient communities will ensure that the aid goes directly into projects
for the people for whom it is intended.
1. Ncayiyana, D J. Combating poverty: the charade of development aid.
BMJ 2007; 335: 1272-1273 (22 December 2007).
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Sir,
Professor Ncayiyana rightly calls for action to tackle the scourge of
global poverty(1). However, would replacing charades with a game of pass-
the-funding parcel really have the desired impact?
Development is a long and complex process. One single, simple, ‘silver
bullet’ solution is unlikely to work everywhere. Even in many “developed”
countries, relative poverty and inequality continue and have serious
adverse effects on health and wellbeing(2),(3).
Effective civil society organizations are indeed vital players. But they
are also unelected and have their own agendas, notably organizational
survival. It is difficult to see them scaling up to run national
programmes in the same way as properly functioning, democratically
accountable governments. Surely both non-governmental and governmental
organizations have important roles which deserve support?
$2.3 trillion over 50 years sounds impressive, but works out as $46
billion per year. Compare to:
- $1001 billion global military expenditure in 2005(4)
- A $41.9 billion global ice cream market in 2006(5)
Few would argue that wars and conflict have not changed the course of
human history in profound ways. Ice cream meanwhile sounds nice and tastes
sweet - but lacks real nutritional substance and melts away far too
quickly.
Sometimes, the return is proportional to the size of investment as
well as the wisdom with which it is spent…
Dr Marko Kerac,
mkerac@hotmail.com
1. Ncayiyana D. Combating Poverty: the charade of development aid.
BMJ 2007;335:1272-3.
2. Siegrist J, Marmot M. Health inequalities and the psychosocial
environment-two scientific challenges. Soc Sci Med 2004;58(8):1463-73.
3. Marmot M. Social determinants of health inequalities. Lancet
2005;365(9464):1099-104.
4. chapter 8 of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
(SPIRI)’s 2006 Year Book. [cited; Available from:
http://yearbook2006.sipri.org/chap8
5. Ice cream: Global Industry Guide. Research and Markets. 2006 [cited
29.12.2007]; Available from:
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/53588/
Competing interests:
i) Spent some time working in the Malawi government sector and could not help but occasionally envy the far bigger salaries paid by many non-governmental organisations.
ii) Especially peeved if NGO people get all righteous and claim to be "supporting inadequate government services" - whilst simultaneously recruiting nurses away from already understaffed government hospital wards.
Competing interests: No competing interests
Having been in contact with friends who are workers in the field
during the so-called famine in Niger a few years ago put the main aid work
and the function of the media into a very unpleasant and revealing light.
The handouts changed many families from working toward sustaining
solutions into beggars borrowing sich children from each other to achieve
maximum support.
If you want to learn how to do it the best way log into www.eden-
foundation.org. It is now the second generation carrying much of the work
load in this revolutionary and pioneering work.
To achieve food from draft resistant perennials can take as long as 10
years, but they can then be harvested for several years. No in and out
with fancy new four-wheelers and TV cameras will ever do the trick. There
is no quick fix here, only consistant work over long periods of time with
education of the whole society. This really achieves what we are all
after!
Competing interests:
Former Board Member of Eden Foundation
Competing interests: No competing interests
Professor Ncayiyana has hit the nail on its head.Indian PM Rajiv
Gandhi once said 70% of the central government aid does not reach the
needy. World Bank and International monetary fund who are the big donors
to the developing countries have an obligation to make sure that majority
of the aid does not end up in the pockets of the corrupt politicians and
officials.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Sri Lankan Experience
This is my experience. I belive all articles and papers on aid cannot
be trusted.
Sri Lanka is a small island nation south of India. This was affected
by the Tsunami in 2004. More than 200,000 people died. Aid poured in from
all over the world. The value of the rupee rose by 15% purely due to this
influx of money. People call Tsunami as "Thanga Tsunami" in tamil. What
means is Golden Tsunami.
Most affected by the Tsunami live in huts. Houses have not been built
while some have bought more than 3 houses, vehicles, jwellery, travelled
around the world more than 20 times and have hefty bank balance.These are
politicians, doctors, administrators and others who are controlling the
tsunami funding and development. It is a club.
When I approached the UN, USAID, OXFAM, WORLD VISION and other major
organization they were only interested in talking to the peopele
"friendly" people. They know only the corrupt will give a favourable
report after a conference which be held in a five star hotel with worlds
most expensive drinks being served in plenty. They usually have these
coference over few days. Money spent on each coference could build more
than 20 houses for the poor.
I have never seen a representative of this organization travelling in
a normal vehicle. It is always the most expenxive SUV.
I discussed this issue with a UN official in Geneva. She was a good
friend. She asked me to shut up or to get "bumped off".
Any alternative.........
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests