The problem in general is that many countries in Africa has come to be dependent on outside aid. Most readers will be familiar with the saying "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day, but teach that man to fish and you feed him for life."
The only way for Africa to get itself out of problems is to do what other countries have done - learn to fish.

By Kelly Teo | June 8, 2009 11:22 AM

Agree with the wisdom you mentioned, Kelly. But still, it is easier said than done. Give examples of how you would see the "teaching to fish" in the context of Africa and development aid in general! If you go to developing countries trying to teach their poor people how to fish, you normally have to "talk" with the local governments first. And the "talks" will result in giving part, sometimes the major one, of the development funds to a few guys on the top, only (small) part will filter down to the people the funds were initially aimed for. But that is how it works and if you don't want to accept that rule, no international organisations will be granted the access to the poor people who are in need. Sad!

By Vanerwin | June 8, 2009 12:27 PM

Hi Vanerwin,
It's hard to generalise about Africa as it's really a huge continent of many countries but as you mentioned, the root cause is Corruption. If we go back 100 years in history, all developing countries around the world suffered the same problem. But each country evolved different solutions to it. China under the Kuomintang for example was riddled with corruption. Mao Ze Dong and Communism took care of that (unfortunately today it's reverting somewhat).
In Singapore, a young group of post-colonial patriots led by Lee Kuan Yew eliminated corruption by legislation.
In almost all cases, the catalyst is one man, one woman, a visionary. Mandela did something for South Africa but his best years were wasted in prison. That's Africa's challenge.

By Kelly Teo | June 9, 2009 9:26 AM

It’s a good start for setting a good precedent when trade sanctions, business boycotts and conditional donated aids (to the well deserved countries), are regulated and monitored, so that the majority of the public in that country in question (rather then the elite and or junta-rulers), benefit from the goodwill donations, philanthropic and charitable schemes. However, these sanctions and or conditional aids in question shall, ironically effect the needy majority public (and not the well protected elite and or the junta-ruling classes), especially when it concerns an insignificant, distant, bankrupt, non-European junta-occupied country with limited natural resources, and or non-strategic geographical position, and or non-business partner in this multinational globalized business world.
Its beggars belief that for a country which is also the ornamental and ceremonial home to the European Court of Human Rights, International Criminal Court, Europol, Institute for Global Justice (with the assistance of Madeleine Albright the former US secretary of state) no less, shall continue to do business as usual, with other equally junta-ruled countries round the world (which have far more compromising records in Peace, Justice, Human Rights and or Equal Gender Rights). Needless to name and shame, but to simply say, that the European Union has a regular habit of preaching their economically subsidized one-way mono-sermon to the rest of the world, DO AS I SAY AND NOT AS I DO ? Hail Caesar !

By Small Brother | June 9, 2009 11:44 AM

Zimbabwe was an out cast for ten good years mind you so think of it surviving on such conditions.So now they a trying to build up relations with big gunes county to revamp a torn and economy so i think,to try and teach someone go to out there to catch some fish whilst he has an empty stomach ,i don't think it will work

By prosper | June 9, 2009 1:06 PM