EVERY YEAR leaders from eight of the world's leading industrial nations meet to discuss pressing global issues and attempt to reach viable solutions. This year's G8 summit was no different, nor in many aspects was its list of topics including economic and humanitarian aid for Africa. Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, is one of the poorest and most unstable of the world, and thus is a major focus of world relief efforts. The problem then is not the lack of donations or lack of willingness to help, but instead how those donations are put to use. Rather than create a developing, efficient economy that is tied in with the rest of the world, Africa is merely becoming more and more dependent on that aid.
On the same page of CNN's website discussing the G8 summit are several articles that shed light on the situation in Africa. To begin with there is an article describing "Operation Falcon Sweep," a UN effort to defeat a group of rebel militia in Congo. On the other side of things, however, is an article about Zimbabwe describing how "paramilitary police swept through a Harare township, pulling down more than 100 prefabricated wooden cabins" as part of an "urban-renewal drive." Such efforts mark an interesting contradiction: putting down rebel insurgents to restore order versus attacking your own citizens in the name of progress.
The incidents in Zimbabwe and Congo have something in common however, in that they both show the failure of current efforts in the region. Standard of living levels in most African countries are far below that of the industrialized world, which in turn helps cause political instability and the lack of a sound legal structure. The billions of dollars in aid sent to Africa every year, including the G8 summit's most recent large donation, are crucial, but will have little effect if not properly implemented.
The last of the major problems that Africa faces is the HIV and AIDS epidemic that is decimating the continent. Once again, though, the major problem is that the region does not have the infrastructure to prevent the disease from spreading, much less to aid those who are already afflicted. As with the political and economic situation, these nations are once again forced to rely almost entirely on foreign assistance. This completes and helps perpetuate the problem of African dependency.
There are a number of things that can be done to help fix the situation in Africa and to restore the economic balance so that internal support systems can begin to function. To begin with, there are current UN efforts such as police actions in the Congo that are essential to help restore order and security. The United Nations cannot, however, ignore actions such as that in Zimbabwe where governments oppress and attack their own people. As the Cato Institute's "U.S. Policy Towards Sub-Saharan Africa" states, "African countries are unlikely to escape poverty as long as their governments remain unaccountable and their actions arbitrary."
Above all, however, African governments must be assisted in developing strong economies rather than rely on foreign aid. African countries tend to have very high tariff rates with actually hurt rather than protect their industry. To begin solving this, African nations should open themselves to free trade. Doing so would promote the influx of development capital as well as allow them to focus on their specific economic advantages rather than attempt to produce everything. As a result of reducing trade barriers, industry would expand, wages would rise, and prices would fall. More importantly, a much stronger economic base would be established that could allow for continued development.
Yet all of this must be done carefully. As Moeletsi Mbeki of the Cato Institute writes, "Economic growth in Africa, as in the rest of the world, depends on a vibrant private sector." Thus, the African nations must allow for free, and efficient, private sector growth rather than attempt to force it through government-run companies.
Sub-Saharan Africa faces political, economic and social upheaval -- each with its various internal and external causes -- and unfortunately current relief efforts are not enough. The first step to solving these problems is to create a stable political and legal situation. Next, the most important step is to encourage and build a strong economic foundation centered on private enterprise. Only then will these African nations be able to create and support necessary social programs to ensure continued growth, security, and stability. Finally, throughout all of this the United States, the United Nations and the other countries and world bodies will be essential in supporting and helping build the path. However, if these poverty-stricken nations are truly to prosper they must develop internally and thus ultimately shed their dependency.
Allan Cruickshanks is a Cavalier Daily columnist. He can be reached at acruickshanks@cavalierdaily.com
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