Browsing: Aid to Africa

• The second Africa Food Summit held in Dakar has ended with development partners committing US$30 billion to back the continent’s resolve to boost agricultural productivity.
• The summit was a key moment in Africa’s ability to feed itself and achieve food self-sufficiency and food sovereignty.

The second Africa Food Summit held in Dakar, Senegal has ended with development partners committing US$30 billion to back the continent’s resolve to boost agricultural productivity and become a global breadbasket. The summit was organized by the Senegalese government and the African Development Bank and rallied dozens of dignitaries, including 34 heads of state and government, 70 government ministers, and development partners.

The major theme of the summit ‘Feed Africa: food sovereignty and resilience.’ Which was that African countries need to increase their food production capacity, rather than relying heavily on imports that have left them vulnerable to price spikes and shortages. The continent is facing …

Former President of Senegal Abdoulaye Wade said this in 2002 during his reign; “I’ve never seen a country develop itself through aid or credit”. These words remain true to date, where we see different countries in Europe, Asia and America which achieved success through capitalist reforms and free markets. The fact that Africa remains the poorest continent despite receiving the most aid is a testament to the inadequacy of aid in achieving economic development.

Africa has utilised aid in financing development projects, importing some critical commodities and for technical assistance. Aid is inevitable, but it is the complete reliance on it that cripples the economy as it leads to complacency on the part of Africans. Not all aid is bad, it is the long-term financial transfers or loans aimed at improving the economic development that hurt the economy. Grants that are aimed at famine and disaster relief are of great …

Over $50 billion worth of aid is poured into Africa every year. Most of it is targeted towards poverty reduction, hunger, and achieving sustainable development goals. Yet Africa remains among the poorest of the poor. The level of disease still continues to stay high and mortality rates remain high. Unemployment levels are soaring and the standard of living remains very poor. 

Lack of access to electricity and clean drinking water coupled with lack of food in some areas is very much a reality. 85% of Africans are surviving on an income less than $5.50 per day. In trying to take stock of the situation an assessment of the efficacy of aid is a necessity. 

Given the amounts of aid that have flowed in, there are questions as to why the state of the continent continues to be pitiful. Does aid stifle economic growth? Does aid have the transformative power …

Looking at Africa and only pushing for aid is not in the interest of the everyday Africans.

It is about the egos of the elites and latte intellectuals who believe they have the solutions to why the continent is still poor.
As Africa’s population and economies surge, greater opportunities for development are presented, societies change, and the aspirations of everyday Africans are increasingly requiring urgent attention.
On the other hand, Germany’s energy transition anticipates a vastly more efficient and interconnected energy system in the future, one that I believe, young African technology entrepreneurs can certainly learn from and accelerate the growth of the energy sector.
With technology start-ups with the intention to build sustainable power solutions emerging across the continent particularly in the power sector, Germany can look to this market on how it can invest in Africa while providing energy and  technology solutions and African entrepreneurs can embrace German …