http://blurringborders.disqus.com/enWed, 04 Jun 2008 11:28:42 -0000http://blurringborders.com/2008/06/03/the-mother-of-invention/#comment-3052596<p>Good find. On the other side of the argument is Jeff Sachs who is a prolific dev. economist at Columbia who thinks we need to make a final push of billions of dollars. I just can't get over my pessimism and support him.</p>KevinWed, 04 Jun 2008 11:28:42 -0000http://blurringborders.com/2008/06/03/the-mother-of-invention/#comment-3052595<p>This reminds me of James Shikwati's argument in an interview found here: <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,363663,00.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" title="http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,363663,00.html">http://www.spiegel.de/inter...</a></p><p>Dumping foreign aid on Africa does little to support infrastructure or encourage Africa to solve its own problems. Similar to Easterly, Shikwati even says that it has negative impacts on the African economy, whose small farmers can't compete with programs such as the UN food program. It's terrible that people in developing countries can feel forced or be guilted to donate aid money to countries that aren't benefiting from the aid. Instead only the donating agencies themselves are able to survive off of this transaction between developed nations and developing African countries. I agree and think that it is time for the unhelpful intermediaries to end. Developing nations can provide help but I think it is far more important for them to share information and knowledge so that Africa can decide for itself what is best for its development.</p>chris kelleyTue, 03 Jun 2008 19:05:23 -0000