Dambisa Moyo at the Oxford Literary Festival talking about Dead Aid

Dambisa Moyo explains why trade is better than aid for Africa (April 4th 2009).

http://www.dambisamoyo.com

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Category:

Education

Tags:

• Dambisa
• Moyo
• Dead
• Aid
• Africa
• Economics

[floatingtux]

If Africans were allowed to build their own economy on their own terms, I have no question places like DRC Congo would be some of the world's richest nations. They have all the resources. IMF, World Bank, etc, were engineered to diminish African currency. Then, outsiders can go in and plunder cheap.

That's the deal

[floatingtux]

I like what you said, that all you see on TV is huts and people in need, jungle, lions...

But there is another side to Africa. To get that other side, just look around at Washington DC. It is based on Africa, whose engineering principles influenced 1st Greeks, then Romans, then US.

I have met many African men who are into engineering, calculus, have PhD's in chemistry, or are studying sciences today. Just like their ancestors in Egypt.

Egypt was the United States of ancient times

[millenniumtree]

Here's how you can help directly build Africa's economy!

kiva.org

[vysehrad]

"Poverty cannot be eradicated" does not mean "Africa should rely on aid forever". I'm not sure what you mean by the truth hurting... I don't feel hurt... what were you referencing?

[musamerica]

Truths hurts to the very core. Poverty cannot be eradicated but can be reduced. I know that IMF and World Bank are International lenders and they make interest from the Macro and Micro loans given to poor countries who cannot pay back 90% of the loans given. Many people are cheated by such rhetoric in the name of grants and aid with conditions to create massive layoffs and increase taxes.

[vysehrad]

IMF and the World Bank, FYI, are businesses, not charities. They turn a profit. They invest. This was an absurdly stupid comment.

Aid creates reliance on aid.

[vysehrad]

I think you hit the nail on the head. People who make themselves feel better by giving money to the poor in Africa don't want Africa's problems to be fixed, because then how could they perpetuate their culture of pity?

[nedsneebly]

As the renowned development economist Paul Collier writes in his book The Bottom Billion: "Aid does have serious problems, and more especially serious limitations. [...] 'But it is part of the solution rather than part of the problem."

BTW, Harvard is a bunch of snobs.

[nedsneebly]

Spend the money in the right place. That's the only thing they have to adjust. This lady is just another stupid elite. Her ideas are just to get self promotion and noticed. She's acting like she's savior of the world. When, in fact, she is hurting Africa.

[getfitnow29]

Amen.