Interview with African Economics Expert
SPIEGEL ONLINE - News: The Kenyan economics expert James Shikwati, 35, says that aid to Africa does more harm than good.
I don’t know that I entirely agree with this assessment. I guess I am enough of an altruist to want to help, and enough of an optimist to believe that effective ways can be found to help places like sub-saharan africa.
That said, I agree that our current aid programs almost certainly do more harm then good.
(via Instapundit)
Interesting to ponder upon.
My initial reaction is there are valid points in what Shikwati is saying, especially when “aid” for so many donors means the purchase of highly subsidised and over-priced domestic product (the example of corn was mentioned) rather than the encouragement of new production in the areas seeking the aid.