We, the Africans, particularly the African intelligentsia, are funny people. Extremely funny. Sometime self-contradicting. Sometimes masochist. All this time we have condemned foreign Aid saying it makes us dependent. We need to trade on equal terms with the world. We have even written book, best sellers, calling Aid dead. To rebuild after World War II, Europe received handsome Aid from America, under the Marshall Plan. But we have argued we do not need it. Why do we cry now?
So now, the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump (great man), has listened to us and agreed with us, African “intellectuals”, has decided to freeze all Aid to foreign countries (because they don’t need it, we have vociferously argued) except Israel and Egypt (because they need it). Then he has introduced tariffs, the most beautiful word in the dictionary, because we must trade with America on equal terms. Exceptions are free are funds meant for life saving medicines, ARVS and other.
His Executive Order comes in the footsteps of another order withdrawing the USA from World Health Organisation. Their immediate implementations have sent shockwaves throughout the world. As result, the World Health Organisation has curtailed all travel except when very necessary; most meetings will be held online.
We did not see it coming. The Aid withdrawal will increase poverty. In Malawi alone, close to forty NGO that benefit(ed) from US funds are affected. The employment of more than a million menial and blue collar people are affected in NGOs. Thrown out into the streets, not all these will get a government job. Some will resort to steeling and other unwelcome behaviours.
The precarious situation in which Malawi finds itself must be multiplied by that of 120 countries recipient of American Aid. From Afghanistan to Lesotho and from Senegal to India, their leaders are flying to Washington to discuss with, no, to kneel down before King Donald Trump, for consideration. The Chinese have refused and they have matched tariff for tariff.
American Aid through the Millennium Challenge Corporation has been withdrawn and MCA cannot implement the road works.
It does not matter that Afghans “betrayed” their fellow Afghans for America. Pakistanis did the same for Osama bin Laden. And so on and so forth. The Aid door is firmly shut and welded.
Then there are Americans who received a fortune for “risking” to live in countries like Malawi. They did not see it coming.
However, this executive order may boomerang. Leonce Ndakumana, a Burundian Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has studied the Politics of Aid and found that in fact instead of being a net recipient of Aid, as it is said, Africa is a net creditor to America and the world through its corrupt leaders.
Studies by Action Aid called Real Aid reached similar conclusions. So, on the surface and in the short run, America may appear to provide Aid to most of the world, but it reaps out bigger sheaths. So, it will suffer, too.
So, what should we do? This Trump action should wake us up from our deep slumber and start living like we will live forever but the resources before us are limited.
Trump is brushy and undiplomatic, but let’s be frugal and financially prudent. The wise men of Tongaland say, a fool says or does things before swallowing his own saliva.
