Dambisa Moyo on Development

Dambisa Moyo, a Zambian economist who has worked for the World Bank, has published Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa, a book on development that makes similar arguments as William Easterly's White Man's Burden. Both believe that government to government aid for developing countries is actually hindering development and creating dependency instead of empowerment and self-sustainability.

I had planned to attend a discussion featuring Moyo and Easterly. I did not end up going, but fortunately the organizers have posted videos of the discussion. Moyo's rhetoric is one of empowerment for Africa. She rightly criticizes how Bono and others have become spokespersons for Africa and she asks where the African leadership is. Bono's (and others) heart is in the right place. There is tremendous suffering and I think it attention to these issues is warranted. However, it is not his place to be their spokesperson. Furthermore, the tone of the celebrities and the focus only on the problems perpetuates the myth that Africans are inferior and need our help.

I remember my feeling after reading The Bottom Billion, where Paul Collier states that growth is the only answer. I felt that growth takes too long and the problems were too great and needed immediate solutions. What I am beginning to believe now is that there are no quick solutions. Growth that comes through empowerment and markets, though it may be slow, is the only way for developing countries to achieve self-sufficiency and lift their populations out of poverty. We are not Africa's saviors - Africa has to save themselves. Let's hope people start listening to Moyo.