This
site is designed for Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator versions
4 and above and a screen resolution of at least 800x600
|
|
|
Partnerships, goodwill gestures
By
Emily L Mkamanga - 12-08-2002 |
|
|
It is no exaggeration to state that, for decades, Africa’s Anthem at every forum has been bemoaning lack of development. In desperation, so many initiatives have been tried and tested in a bid to bring development. Early July 2002 in South Africa we witnessed the metamorphosis of the Organisation of the African Unity (OAU) into a supposedly more focused African Union (AU). This was soon after the establishment (with richer nations) of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad).
These moves are widely considered by political leaders to be in the right direction. These leaders are not even ready to listen to the voice of sceptics who at times have a point! For example, judging from the failures of the OAU, so many people doubt if at all the AU will be any different. For this reason the man in the street is likely not to buy the shallow political argument usually expressed by politicians that if the European Union is successful why should the African Union fail?
From such argument one can deduce that African politicians just want to score some international political mileage. In fact, they should know better that unlike in Europe, politics in Africa is controlled by ethnic groupings which in the past have created endless problems ranging from conflicts to bad governance. Therefore, it is not automatic that whatever political set up works in Europe can work in Africa!
In the same vein of promoting development in most countries one hears of vision this and vision that being launched at a grand scale. Sadly, successes from these various initiatives cannot be pin pointed. The common trend so far is that before the so-called visions start to show results they are silently declared redundant and abandoned.
In their places, new ones with different terminologies (probably to entice some new donors) but with the same objectives are introduced. For example, in the nineties there was so much talk in Malawi about Health For All By The Year 2000. It is no secret that this has failed totally as HIV/Aids takes its toll. It is a shame that even biblical diseases such as bubonic plague are back, making health for all by the 21st century a mere pipe dream.
Then there was the much publicised Malawi Vision 2020. For reasons best known to the authorities, it is silently being forgotten. In its place is the current hot topic of Malawi Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (MPRSP) which says nothing new. Everyone should know by now that Malawi does not require any sophisticated strategies. Any simple formula to create jobs, revamp the agriculture and education sectors as well as improve health facilities is enough. Trying this ideology and that ideology while people continue to suffer does not make much sense.
African leaders should know better that no development would come to the continent by joining some hurriedly formed and least understood organisations. For example, Nepad. While this looks very attractive on paper its success becomes doubtful as one looks at the strings attached to the partnership. To start with, the partnership is somehow abstract. No effort has been made by African leaders to sell the idea to their people. Not even parliaments seem to have debated the issue. The common man in Africa is used to the old fashioned way of getting assistance in form of cash donations, which is unlikely in the Nepad situation.
To make it worse, partners from the West are dictating conditions which will be hard to follow in Africa and this will sort of nullify the partnership. So far the conditions are hinged on good governance, which include observing human rights, no corruption and following all the tenets of democracy, the Western style.
Furthermore, hiding behind sovereignty one country cannot correct the ills of the other country as Nepad requires. By the way, who will be mandated to monitor the behaviour of the 53 African countries? In short, it will definitely be a tall order for any African country to qualify for Nepad. This boils down to the fact that for any development to take place, Africa should rely on itself.
Africa should not invest its time in the begging syndrome. If people with goodwill (like brother leader Gaddafi) are ready to pledge some assistance, that is well and good.
However, it was rather embarrassing when in some quarters people literally complained that after visiting certain areas in Malawi Gaddafi did not pledge anything. What such complaints overlooked was that it was not Gaddafi’s obligation to make pledges to Malawi.
As head of the Libyan government, he cannot just go on a support-pledging spree without considering his government’s position on such gestures. Gaddafi might be the godfather of African Union but that does not mean he has to carry every country on his back. Where is the sovereignty that African countries usually remind the West about?
Countries like Taiwan, which some four decades ago were just as poor as Malawi are miles away in development. It is needless to say that it is embarrassing that Africa goes to Taiwan with a begging bowl. In Malawi we should stop and think what went wrong with all the assistance Taiwan provided in the rice and vegetable irrigation schemes at Hara, Limphasa, Likangala and others. Soon after independence in 1964, the Taiwanese brothers and sisters spent years teaching Malawians how to grow irrigated rice, vegetables and fruits. We should by now have been producing tonnes and tonnes of rice and other crops.
Sadly, as soon as these programmes were handed over to government, that was the end. The irrigation channels are clogged with overgrown weeds and the lands are reverted to natural bush. What more could Taiwan have done?
Poor countries like Malawi have a chance of developing if those in authority stop wasting time and resources scouting for unproductive partnerships. Banking hopes on goodwill from unwilling donors is just as bad. Harnessing the commitment of all Malawians is the only solution to our much needed development.
|
|
|
|
|
|
