Aid to Sub-Saharan Africa

As most nations of the world continue to advance in interconnectedness and communication through globalization, Africa continues to fall further behind. As each year passes, the inability of many African nations to provide for the basic needs of their suffering populations becomes increasingly evident, and hope for the future grows dim. Since 1960, more developed world countries have provided over $500 billion dollars of aid to African nations, in hope that their economies will be stimulated into growth in the global economy. However, now nine years into the 21st Century, there remains to be seen any significant development in the region.

Some reasons for this lack of progress include war, famine and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. However, arguably one of the most detrimental factors in Africa's failure to develop is corrupt leaders. Much of the international aid poured into Africa fails to reach its target, the African people, in any real way. When African leaders embezzle and squander monetary gifts from nations such as the United States, France and Great Britain, no improvement to the countries' infrastructure results, and the people and country simply grow more dependent on further aid.

In my opinion, aid to Africa in various forms is most definetly warranted, but donor nations must intently work to prevent that aid from being hoarded by the corrupt African elite any longer. I am not capable of presenting a workable solution for donations to African nations in this blog, but I do believe that there should be stipulations and regulations attached to aid to Africa. In addition, those regulations should be closely monitored and enforced by an outside organization not subject to the local governmental corruption that is so prevalent. Any system organized for African aid should be monitored closely by an organization, such as the United Nations, to ensure that both the African nations are good stewards of the aid, and that developed nations are responsible givers. Unless this is accomplished, any future African development cannot be guaranteed, especially in these trying economic times.

-Daniel Uden 3/5/2009