[governance] Re: Does Africa Need Help?---Latin America comment

[Ginger Paque]

Nyangkwe Agien said:

 

"For the reason of national interests today the financial

flows go mainly to Asian and African countries almost ignoring poverty,

civil war and the question of failing states in Latin America. Looking

on the positive aspect: Latin American governments have to resolve their

problems on their own or with regional support which is definitely

better than waiting for someone to fix the problem."

 

Excellent insight into Latin America!! Observing the international IG policy
processes, I see this coming into play as well. Since the problems in Africa
are critical, attention is deservingly turned to that area.  

 

However, unfortunately, we in Latin America are not always managing to solve
our problems, nor take our place in international processes. Sometimes for
lack of education, skills and readiness-including political will-we simply
step back and ignore the problems, until they become emergencies. Somewhat
like untrained teenagers, intelligent and capable, but out on their own a
bit too soon. 

 

I don't have any solutions or insights-except to watch Brazil, which seems
to be leading the way. But I appreciated your comment too much to just let
it slip by.  Thanks. Anyone else have ideas on this?

 

Saludos,

Ginger

 

 

 

-----Mensaje original-----
De: Nyangkwe Agien Aaron [mailto:nyangkweagien at gmail.com] 
Enviado el: Viernes, 20 de Junio de 2008 05:35 a.m.
Para: governance at lists.cpsr.org; Daniel Oppermann
Asunto: Re: [governance] Re: Does Africa Need Help?

 

Daniel

 

You hit the nail at th right point.

 

Aaron

 

On 6/19/08, Daniel Oppermann <dan.oppermann at gmail.com> wrote:

> I understood Stephane's comment in a different way. To me it seems that

> he put the finger on the fact that Northern (or Western or

> industrialized) countries do not spend money on development politics

> just because they are "nice" but because it serves their own interests.

> 

> Development politics started during the Cold War to make sure who is on

> your side. For the reason of national interests today the financial

> flows go mainly to Asian and African countries almost ignoring poverty,

> civil war and the question of failing states in Latin America. Looking

> on the positive aspect: Latin American governments have to resolve their

> problems on their own or with regional support which is definitely

> better than waiting for someone to fix the problem.

> 

> Here is an interesting paper about the effectiveness of aid politics:

> 

> http://www.iadb.org/IDBDocs.cfm?docnum=1158725

> 

> 

> 

> David Goldstein schrieb:

> > Stephane's comment is just like saying all African governments are

> incompetent and corrupt. It's partly true, it's changing, but definitely
not

> always the case.

> >

> >

> > ----- Original Message ----

> > From: Stephane Bortzmeyer <bortzmeyer at internatif.org>

> > To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; Nyangkwe Agien Aaron

> <nyangkweagien at gmail.com>

> > Sent: Thursday, 19 June, 2008 7:53:05 PM

> > Subject: [governance] Re: Does Africa Needs Help?

> >

> >

> >

> > > Some recipient governments grasp exactly what donors want to hear,

> > > readily agreeing to 'capacity building' programmes emphasising

> > > increased accountability. They dutifully echo the donor's jargon,

> > > while laughing behind our backs, and flicking through the latest

> > > Mercedes catalogue for their new ministerial limousine.

> > >

> > >

> >

> > A long paper to avoid the obvious conclusion: aid is not intended to

> > help the local people but to subsidize northern industries such as

> > Mercedes (as in the above example) or Cisco (to take a example closer

> > from our field). That way, most aid will come back to the North.

> >

> >

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-- 

Aaron Agien Nyangkwe

Journalist/Outcome Mapper

Special Assistant To The President

Coach of ASAFE Camaroes Street Football Team.

ASAFE

P.O.Box 5213

Douala-Cameroon

Tel. 237 3337 50 22

Cell Phone: 237 79 95 71 97

Fax. 237 3342 29 70

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