Dambisa Moyo’s diary
By Dambisa Moyo
It is a year since the publication of Dead Aid, my book on the ineffectiveness of sending developmental aid to Africa, and I have spent much of that time on the road. I have met a range of audiences – agitated aid supporters, charming government ministers, frustrated development specialists – in a range of countries, from Rwanda to Russia, from Sweden to South Africa, and many places in between. By far and away the most interesting trip, however, was a homecoming – to Zambia, the country where I was born.
I have made regular trips back since leaving over a decade ago to study and work in the US and the UK, but this visit had particular significance. I’d heard that my book had sold out in the local bookstores in Zambia’s main cities but was uncertain about how people would react to the stark message that lies at the book’s core: that we must find alternative ways to finance development in Africa.
While I have been away, I have missed key moments in my country’s history. In 1991 Zambia made the move from one-party state to multi-party democracy (the first former British colony in Africa to have its president removed by ballot rather than bullet); since then there has been the journey from socialism to capitalism, and the tragic advent of the HIV–Aids epidemic (in urban areas nearly one in five adults is afflicted). On the 30-minute trip from Lusaka airport to my parents’ home, I was struck by the number of young people who seemed to be wandering aimlessly on the street, and by how, as in so many other African countries today, Zambia continues to struggle with high levels of poverty and a lack of infrastructure manifested by dilapidated roads with sizable potholes.
Given that I have spent much of the past year explaining how the billions of dollars of foreign assistance that have been sent to Africa over the past 50 years have hindered rather than helped Africa’s economic progress, I found it particularly poignant that I had returned as yet another scandal was gripping Zambia – nearly $2m of aid was allegedly stolen by senior health ministry officials. On the back of these allegations, the Swedish and Dutch governments froze around $33m of aid to the country. It was yet more evidence for my thesis that aid has not only not done what it proposed to (that is, to lower poverty and increase economic growth) when the aid regime started in earnest after the second world war, but rather has made things worse for millions of Africans by, inadvertently, fuelling a climate of rampant corruption.
. . .
Lusaka, the capital, is a lively cosmopolitan town of more than a million people, complete with Chinese and Indian restaurants and a bustling nightlife; more so than I recall when I was growing up there. I imagine this reflects demand from Zambia’s burgeoning young population. As with many other developing regions of the world, about 60 per cent of Africa’s (and Zambia’s) population is below the age of 25. My schedule involved participating in a number of radio call-in chat shows, meetings with academics, citizens and foreign diplomats, as well as Zambian policymakers. The country also boasts a large NGO community, so I had anticipated criticism from people whose hearts are in the right place, but whose philosophy for helping the poor remains, in my view, outmoded and lacking in innovation. This despite the fact that China, India and other developing countries (including those in Africa such as South Africa and Botswana) have moved hundreds of millions of people out of poverty without relying on foreign aid to the extent that many African countries do today.
What I did not expect was that my views on the inefficacy and deleterious effects of aid were, in fact, widely acknowledged by many people including some of the NGO representatives I met. In meetings, and numerous conversations, three things became apparent; upon which the majority of us agreed. First, that it was neither desirable nor reasonable for African countries to continue to depend on aid to drive their development agendas. The concern of aid-dependency has particular relevancy now as key donor countries such as the US and UK face their own enormous debt burdens and gaping fiscal deficits. Second, that Africa’s economic success relies crucially on the continent’s leadership taking the lead in designing and implementing policies that would set the continent on a promising development path. Until this happens, Africa is, I believe, going nowhere. Third, that foreign aid had, over the past five decades, contributed to the dysfunctionality of much, though not necessarily all, African leadership. Even where corruption is contained, the aid industry enables and incentivises leaders to abdicate their responsibilities in the provision of public goods such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and national security.
While the broad agreement I encountered in these areas was refreshing, I found myself asking why it has been so hard to fundamentally change things? Was it simply that donor agencies owe their very existence to parcelling out aid? Was it what the former US president George W Bush once called, when discussing the US education system, the “soft bigotry of low expectations”; that is, a belief that Africa lacked the capacity to manage its own economic affairs?
A senior economist at one of the leading donor agencies in Washington DC had told me that out of 50-odd states in sub-Saharan Africa, his organisation would be comfortable leaving only two countries (your guess is as good as mine) to write their own economic strategy document. All the rest, he said, depend on outside agencies to do this for them. This, some 50 years after many of these countries attained their independence.
According to him, this had little to do with the lack of skills and capability of African citizens and more to do with an ingrained attitude at the highest levels of many African governments; that, as someone in the aid agencies would do it, why should they bother at all?
. . .
By the end of my trip – and my travels – it was clear to me that, as much as anything else, Africa suffers from appalling PR. Although there are positive things happening on the ground, the continent’s story has clearly been usurped by those who prefer to paint Africa as simply a land of war, disease, poverty and corruption. Africa needs jobs and investment, yet what investor in their right mind would want to invest in a place characterised in this way? Ultimately, it is up to Africa leaders to transform Africa’s message, much as the Chinese and Indian governments have for their own countries. Their positive economic messages at home and abroad have yielded prosperity and meaningfully put a dent in their poverty … without the yoke of foreign aid.
. . .
This week Zambia, though decidedly the better team, were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament by Nigeria. It was a bitter defeat, 5-4 in a quarter final penalty shootout. But though people longed to get through to the next round, I hope they reserve their real disappointment – and opprobrium – for the system that denies them the chance to achieve the economic goals that are within their reach.
Dambisa Moyo’s ‘Dead Aid: Why Aid is not Working and How there is Another Way for Africa’ (Penguin Press) is published in paperback this week
Courtesy of The Financial Times Limited 2010
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Fredrick, I think what what Dambiso tried to say in her book is that Aid is noble, and its intentions are good. But along the way, Aid has ended up having a negative effect. The negative effects are;
1) It suppresses the inovation of the reciepient countries to find their own ways out of their problems.It creates dependants, who though could survive on their own are made to fail because they can simply fall back on Aid.
2) It has created a lucrative industry, comprised of pipo who have made it a point to loby for pipo yet only a tiny fraction of that Aid actually reach the intended pipo. (eg. I was involved in a donor funded project, the total grant fowarded was in the region of $4million, I shocked that what went into the actual project was just slightly above $1million, the big chunk went to the international consultants, and the local consultants contracted by the donors. – What is sad is that these guys were all blank about the project, we provided all the data, the mthodolgies and we enlightened them on many of their unworkable proposals, and work was hectic due to their inflexible terms) In my opinion, we could have achieved what we achieved with our resources.
3)Aid is degrading, especially when the giver seems to have a low opinion of you.
Impressive stuff and so let us begin real development by removing recycled politicians from holding serious National political office. President HH and the UPND TEAM with its nw catch Dr Clive Chirwa are the right combination to lead Zambia to prosperity. I am ready to help this team to develop Zambia in all aspects of life.
Have a blessed day you all;
__
Matt 6: 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of god and His righteousnes and all these things shall be added unto you.
OK, let us say Dambisa went to Soweto Market, now the question is, how many street adults lambwaza at Soweto Market, most of them in dreamland of jobs they held in the past, others who are younger, dreaming about jobs they never had. Mwebantu, Zambians are deep in problems only Jesus will come and save us.
DAMBISA HAS DECIVED A LOT OF PPL WITH HER BOOK. LET IT BE KNOWN THAT WHILST SHE CLAIMS ZAMBIAN ROOTS SHE GREW UP IN US, AND HER UNDERSTANDING OF AFRICA AND ZAMBIAN LIFE IS HYPOTHETICAL! UNZA, OXFORD, HARVARD & WALL STREET! DR.MOYO MUST KNOW FACTS LIKE HOW MUCH US SPENT ON THE MARSHALL PLAN TO REBUILD WEST EUROPE AFTER WWII, AS COMPARED TO THE 50BN DOLLARS SPENT ON 53 COUNTRIES FOR OVER 50 YRS! THERE IS NO AID TO AFRICA IN REALITY COMPARED TO HOW MUCH IS BEING PLUNDERED FROM THT CONTINENT! NOW THE COMMON SENSE IS THT EVEN IF WE RECEIVED REAL AID, ITS NOT THE DONOR’S FAULT, ITS IT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT IT TO GOOD USE! SO WHT DO YOU STOP FIRST,,IS IT THE ABUSE OR THE DONATIONS????
African governments are so used to foreign aid that it is fitted in most of nations budgets. I wonder how Western Couintries which colonized Africa where able to build towns, schools, hospitals, roads, railways, plats, with resources found in the same countries and could even take some money to their countries? All is about our leadership in Africa. I remember when late Kabila ousted Mobutu with the help of Rwanda and Uganda ,just after a year he disagreed with the same countries which assisted him, and this was the genesis of the war which saw many african countries involved in. FMI, World Bank, western Countries and all aid agencies freezed they supports to the DRC government, and stopped any kind of funding to this governemnt for three years. Suprisingly, despite the war , Kabila did very well, without a single cent from donors, this is the only time civil servants , policemen, soldiers , had a decent salary and were paid on a regular basis each month. The congolese currency beame very stable and the country didnt have a budget deficit.
This shows Western Countries are developping a begger’s reflexe on African leaders.Our leaders think that without foreign aid there is no development!!!
No, we have our lands, good soil, enough rain, minerals etc… We can develop like Kabila did with DRC. I remember he was saying, they can keep their money, we have enough money in our country, we dont need their money. Like Obama, they all our African leaders will say, and believe that ” YES WE CAN ” , Africa, will develop withour western aid.
Please look at the price of different minerals at the London Metals Exchange, why cant we organise our young guys in developement brigades, to start hand digging minerals and sell to government institutions which will resell to London , instead of leaving the so-called investors getting mines at the price of a loaf of bread, and after just a year start making huge money??? Why cant we organize ourself??? We are walking on wealth, but ourself we are poor …
i have not read her book but i have listerned to her interviews on either BBC or other forums. her emphasis is to gradually withdraw dependance on international Aid. i think most of her idiologies are quite good but takes political will to materialise. part of the problem is we are afraid of what would happen if we lost the aid as we are used to being spoonfed in a way.If india,china, south africa, Bostwana and the some european countrie are try to manage with as little aid as posibble why cant we follow the footstep. its like a young adult afraid to leave the parents home for the fear of the challenges of independence.all this has to be done over a period of time.
I do have a problem to understand Mdm. Moyo’s perception of facts. If she has been away since 1991 she must now be better informed how the outside world looks and works and then how Zambia ticks (20 years are long). I was just on X-Mass home in Lusaka, Roma; frankly I did not see any “young people who seemed to be wandering aimlessly on the street” I am also wondering what happens to the potholes of before 1991 (when Mdm. was still a permanent resident of Zambia). At that time we would say that only a drunken man drives strait on the road. I also got a rather different feedback of the reception Dambisa Moyo got on her return to “her” Zambia. I was informed that a public appearance was cancelled due to lack of interested people (sorry bad gossip).
Why is she astonished that ” my views on the inefficacy and deleterious effects of aid were, in fact, widely acknowledged by many people including some of the NGO representatives“. You do not have to be a University graduate to witness the mismanagement of resources, the corruption (do not forget that under President Kaunda we had potholes, no food in the shops, but corruption was quasi not existing) and bad governance etc. etc in Zambia. No Zambian is happy with these plagues. But to blame the developers and the development aid money for it is simply wrong.
It is too easy to put all Africans in one pot, and to make global statements out of some bad happenings. Already the book title “Dead Aid” is misleading since Bob Geldof “Live Aid” came out of the catastrophic situation in the Ethiopian famine/war of 1984. I was there and I have seen people dying; I do have a problem when one makes allusions out of context.
Without doubt in some countries, mostly post conflict situations, aid money had very contrary effects. But Zambia, your country, had other problems. Please check your figures; How much donor budget support is (was) Zambia getting? How much development money did (is) Zambia receive(ing)? I would like to see the millions Zambia has got. Under the Kaunda Government, Zambia was living for years out of loans with little possibility to pay back and even no possibility to service the loans. Bob Geldof and Bono did never set food in to Zambia. No Zambian ever was seeking asylum in Europe or the USA (for any reason; political or economical). Please do not mix up facts. It is sad enough that, after the Ministry of Health scandal, Zambia is now quoted as the bad example in the donor’s world. Do not forget that in early 2009 the EU, after years of discussion, went in to a substantial Budget support program with the Zambian Government.
The problems in your Zambia are not “aid” related!
With regards Frederick
Dead Aid a book to read and it reveal real issues of our leaders enjoy aid from western countries. This is a followup account to How Africa was Underdeveloped.
To get to her Parents home she passes through town…to Makeni area
but its true, it makes u think, whre doez the money go? not only the donor mney but locally raised revenues aswell! we seem 2 have stagnanted 4 many years. how, in this day and age, stil be grapling with the issues of potholes, drainage in twn and around high density suburbs, cholera, etc such basic matterz? we desperatly nid a major overhaul from state-house downwards, otherwise we are stuck!
Kangwa:
Here is a quote from the article above:
“….On the 30-minute trip from Lusaka airport to my parents’ home, I was struck by the number of young people who seemed to be wandering aimlessly on the street, and by how, as in so many other African countries today, Zambia continues to struggle with high levels of poverty and a lack of infrastructure manifested by dilapidated roads with sizable potholes…..”
Now tell me, in this quote above, where she says she saw young people wandering about on the road to the Airport”?! I am pretty sure she never said her parent’s house is located on the road to the Airport. Why are you discounting the possibility that she may have driven on other different streets, on the way to her parent’s house, where these “wandering kids” are found?
You may disagree with Dr Moyo’s assertions about Aid to Africa, but try to take-her-on on substantive points she has raised. Why should it matter which street these kids are patronizing? These are trivial details which does not change the reality on the ground. And the levels of street-kids in Zambia is indeed alarming!!
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Anyway, about her book and article: I only wish we had a listening government in Zambia. Your efforts then wouldn’t be like the proverbial “fall of a tree in the [African] jungle where nobody heard it fall,” and then the question becomes whether the “tree made any noise when it fell? I am afraid to say, but this is the risk you are running in the context of our beloved Zambia. That is, whether your message is simply a “falling tree in the jungle of entrenched leadership-inferiority-complexes and mediocrity. Most leaders in Africa, and Zambia in particular, could care less what conditions their fellow citizens live under for as long as their Swiss bank accounts are getting fatter by the day with AID MONEY.
Unfortunately, there is a certain generation of African leaders that just don’t get it. Until they are all dead and buried, we all can forget about any meaningful political, social, and economic progress in Africa as a whole. Nonetheless, your efforts in trying to awaken this “economic sleeping giant” called Zambia (or Africa) deserves encouragement and applause.
Am yet to read the book. What I know is that history has it that countries including 1st world countries have developed through donor Aid and Loans. All they have done is to manage the resources and the agreement in order to avoid unnecessary penalties. What we lack in Zambia is discipline to manage what we are given. I dont think blaming the giver is entirely correct. We all share the blame for not developing the right attitude for our Nation.
These are very wise words from the young lady. If we can have such people in gonvernment I think Zambia cant be wallowing in abject poverty. Our leades dont think about the poor but about how they can amass riches to themselves..hence stinking corruption and dependence on the Donar commuity. It is really disgracing and embalancing that after 50 years of independence Zambia till begs. WHAT A COUNTRY!!!!!!!!
Dumbisa in her book highlights issues with facts. With all the support Zambia has been receiving from donor community, this country should have graduated and started donor funding other poor nation. The question is, where does the money go? we have never been to war, so who chews this money? In Zambia nothing seems to be working.
We saw how Tony Blair (former British Primier) was being grilled over Iraq post war budget, In Africa its taboo, and yet thats tax payers money. We can do without donor community. If Botswana, a desert, can do it, how can we fail?
Our leaders have no vision and are lazy to think beyond an ordinally street boy/girl.
Why should we be independent just on paper, yet we continue to beg for money from bazungus when we have abundant natural resources and Veteran/Patriot who can process and sell them profitably?
Zambia does no longer need a leader who cannot think beyond our ordinally thinking as doing so takes us back to 1964. We should be thinking of manufacturing vehicles, not mending potholes for goodness sake!!
Years back, we used to assemble vehicles in Livingstone, manufactured batteries in Mansa, assembled bycicles in Chipata, processed pine apples in Mwinilunga, employeed over 50,000 unionised miners on the copperbelt, today we are busy mending potholes, shame!!!!
Kangwa, whats your source of Statistics. Lusaka at the last census in 2000 had 1.1 million pipo and with a growth rate of 6% per annum, this population can only reach 1.8 million this year.
Are the donors to blame for all our problems? well, I dont know, but the question I can ask is, how for example would you impliment here a budget prepared and financed for you in New York? How would you use a PHD which you never planned for but sudenly you have a scholarship, and in a field you never ever dreamed about, but its a sholarship which you have to take any way, do you see how useless this Aid is??
KANGWA, neva mind the specifics, the point is SIZEABLE potholes are there, in abundance 4 that matter
Can’t agree more with her, triillions of dollars have been pumped into our continent but the only people who see the need for this money are characters such as RB.
Dambiso,
I enjoy Dambiso’s refreshing and simple writing style. however correction of facts; Lusaka has about 3.5million people.trip to airport will rarely reveal ‘young people wondering aimlessly”. the road is paved in good tar, widened and among the few streets that enjoy street lights. its typical of Africa, the road to the airport is usualy a good strip, to help hide the poverty, the squalor and underdevelopment.
Zambia is no exception.the road from the airport is good. you are greeted by Arcades, Manda Hill and the pavement cafe’s are like any european shopping malls.you have wi-fi internet, you can eat a sumptoud meal that can be served in any kicthen in the World.
But this picture is a fraud!
Nearly the entire population leave in abject poverty with half the population in extreme poverty.Of the almost 7million adults eligible for work, only 320,000. are in formal employment, the actual basis to determine jobs!A sizeable number are in informal sectors with no guarantee of securing bank loan, insurance, health care and no formal of social security!
Can we blame donors? they are part of the problem but they are not the only problem. Dambiso fundamental advocacy that aid should be abolished is not acceptable in my view.