CBC: Dambisa Moyo on her vision for Africa & what's wrong with aid

Dambisa Moyo talk to CBC about the need for more innovative solutions to Africa's development and why aid has failed (May 25, 2009).

[@borzix1997]

Absolutely brilliant lady!

[@nayinayi1]

This women is too brilliant, I am out of words.... Dambisa Moyo thank you girl!!! I pray that you continue to have a strong back bone that you have this message loud and clear to everyone.

[@aMadhuve]

Trade not aid. Fair trade and not only in primary products and curios. Real trade opportunities and fair dealing is what we need, no what we want. Well said Dr Moyo.

[@dr.assanjallow5619]

Inspiring book. It is worth reading but the fundamental responsibility lies on us as Africans to say no to Aid. Otherwise, we will continue to be entrapped in the vicious cycle of abject poverty. Enough of foreign aid.Hats off Dr. Dambisa Moyo for such an insightful book.

[@ceewats]

I have never heard that Aid was a bad thing until now, but she fully makes complete sense on why it doesn't work.

[@monicanielsen7478]

I think that she is right. And sooner or later it will happen that her vision will come true. It`s sad that so many lives in Africa had to be lost and im sure that she want`s to scream it out. "Like change things now" If she did she would sound like a lunatic although she is correct. Power to her vision

[@Skipblitzz]

This lady is right on. I've been working in Central Africa for 24 years. I have seen so many times that aid breeds dependence and expecting more aid to get by. Creativity and initiative are stifled. Those that I have seen work hard to support themselves regain their dignity. One of the reasons Uganda has developed so much is that it has privatized so many services & institutions: transportation, phone, electricity, water, etc. Of course, anti-capitalists don't like what this lady says.

[@CosmoShidan]

I finished reading her book awhile back, and she is right on the mark. She definitely up there with Joe Sacco, and Guy Deleslie, two other writers who showed me the light. Let's hope for a new era of prosperity! Cheers!

[@IAMgagnez]

I love this. Aid lulls the local population to sleep and make them dependent on the ones giving the aid. Self-sufficiency and self-empowerment is key. -G

[@jonathanhundzukani7429]

Absolutely brilliant, I also read about what has the West lost by Prof Mohbabani. It really gives an idea on what going on across the globe... Well done Dr Moyo, I am proud of you

[@rickjames21]

I am so impressed and proud. She comes from my country and shares the exact same sentiments I have.

[@EdT586]

Wow, truly amazing, your line of thought in so inline with mine, but you put it so eloquently that I could never do !

[@Craigvadams]

Dambisa is a great role model for all young women not just African girls; look past her obvious beauty and take note of her passion, vision, brilliance, and courage.

[@Kongodiantotela]

Moyo, you are brilliant ! I love you, baby !

[@PRINCESSNIQAAB]

I love her!

[@experimentsofliving]

I'd also like to highlight something raised by Giving What We Can: Approximately $568 billion was spent on aid programs in Sub-Saharan Africa from 1960 to 2003.... However, 43 years is a long time and there are many people in Sub-Saharan Africa. The $568 billion comes to just $13.2 billion per year and only $29 per person per year over that time...Saying 'we already spend $29 for each person each year and yet they haven't escaped poverty' does not have much rhetorical force.

[@influxrift]

The cure for poverty is not charity. --Hitchens

[@classicdinner]

i agree 100% if aid was working it would.. well worked by now...

[@gamoonbat]

Dambiso is inspiring but I am certain that there are African countries which have used foreign aid responsibly. On the other hand, as the interviewer points out, neoliberal economic policies have had many detrimental effects. I look forward to reading Dambiso's new book!

[@ghanakid185]

@heilqueerstapo Exactly her point - stop asking for hands out and be accountable for your actions. She has done and is doing more than that of most sub saharan african leaders for the Africans. Big Up Kagame the Rwanda President. In his time in office has reduced AID to 40% of the national Budget and has open gateway for Investors to flood more than 500mil USdollars to his country given more jobs to the people and irradicating poverty in the country.

[@goPistons06]

one country that is barely mentioned is botswana. botswana embraced the market economy and is now among the richest countries in africa. more african countries need to be like botswana

[@experimentsofliving]

It's true that aid has sometimes been used badly, but that doesn't mean it *never* works. Aid has helped with the eradication of smallpox, the near-eradication of polio, and the large declines in deaths from malaria (along with the economic benefits that come with this). I think it's essential to evaluate the impact of aid scientifically, and even if Moyo is right that giving aid *to governments* causes problems, that doesn't take away from the good that can be done by (some) NGOs.

[@jumpingonglass]

How can I join you

[@Afrikolo]

Africans can redeem control over their land and resources by accumulating and ministering capital, organize industry catering to under-served [low -income i.e the global majority] markets by way of commercial enterprise in the form of : Social Enterprise --(Social Programs that are turn into businesses) Small and Medium Enterprise -- (Businesses that use a franchise model) Co-operative Corporation -- ( Integrates: credit unions, worker co-op and R&D) In this way Africans can be self-reliant.

[@jgpenate]

"The discipline that capital markets can and do impose on borrowers is much better than the type of panhandling..." Yeah except the US... they will be panhandling soon.

[@sexygreen2010]

That interviewer looked completely dumbfounded, she demonstrated how not to do an interview, all she was doing was focusing on the negative whereas dambisa was responding in a manner that is resilient and focusing on what can be done for the betterment of each african nation and thus people.

[@Femi925]

From the get go. This type of Aid has not been practical in Africa. Why do you think so many African leaders want to stay in power. In order to help the continent, you have to start from within. Work on infrastructure. Help build roads, hospitals, schools, improve sanitation, provide electricity just to name a few. Also educate the people on how to maintain and enhance these things. Also put the power back in the hands of the people not the governments.

[@BahariNyeusi]

Its a pity Dambisa Moyo is always addressing these revelations to the wrong crowd. How loud is her voice and impact on our continent, just wondering? "How the African got lost in west" We need your leadership here on our continent.

[@brokecreole]

Africa is a continent.not a country.why are people still ignorant about this.Why is she the only one talking about development? A voice in the wilderness

[@kikijo92]

That's what I was thinking!

[@brokecreole]

I love her directness and intelligence.But the ignorance of the interviewer is shameful!!

[@bernardsimwinga7366]

Can Africa live without aid?

[@corcaighrebel]

Some aid is clearly counterproductive, can create a dependency culture but more important issues are highly counterproductive international policies, Western tariffs/protectionist policies, the historical imbalance in trade/power, Western support of tyrants in developing, colonial legacy, the devil is in the detail while those depending on some form of aid for survival need structured, proven alternatives before aid should be ceased, which i think would be a very drastic thing to do.

[@AT-AT-AT-AT]

this brilliant woman would be called racist nowadays.

[@dsmith5167]

@Skipblitzz The number one thing to watch is who creates the money. Here in America the privately owned Federal Reserve loans us our currency at interest. The Bankers now own most of America and its government. They do this by not creating the money needed to pay the interest. This is why most countries around the world are drowning in debt, and new loans with more interest are needed to pay back the old loans. It is a grand ponzi scheme we live in.

[@JordanjamesX]

Dambisa isn't "saying" it but I am there is a subversive element of racism here. Basically Dambisa Moyo is saying the west do not believe Africans cannot help themselves. I think Dambisa is saying if the African governments were held more accountable and the aid was cut they would be forced to help African people.

[@JordanjamesX]

So, what are you saying rochillz? I think Dambisa Moyo she is talking about the paternalism this attitude that African countries cannot help themselves without European influence.

[@quickP76]

Just look at what foreign aid did for Liberia; turned it into hell.

[@antmlova1]

Somaliland is a good example of a private sector government.

[@RGT88]

@go4gopher Anglo-American model for past 25 years has been based on easy credit, too much free money, bailouts and other moral hazards. The correct way of growing an economy based on fundamentals relies on savings>capital>investment>jobs>real growth. The illusion of wealth based on a figure attached to it is nonsense. Credit should be determined by availability of savings and not government interference. It seems China has been investing in Africa because of its need for commodities.

[@king2amani767]

We don't need your devil's money, just leave us alone and you don't we going force it.

[@garygriffieth7294]

That is an unfortunate response! And it's not the right one. It is unfortunate that things ended up as they did. But, I'm going to give the Whites the benefit of the doubt and reason that they did it for the right reason but it had unfortunate consequences. The Law of Unintended Consequences. You need to be little kinder.

[@skurinski]

fuck you King2 Amani. We're the ones losing money to provide for you poor bastards! Start creating jobs and taking responsability for yourselves and then people dont have to pity you and give handouts

[@kayem3824]

@@skurinski You should do some research on how Africa's wealth has been looted in the first place. It was called colonialism, and still isn't over. So, the "aid" has been coming from Africa, not the other way around.

[@Dosy2153]

Aha.. why not Issuing African bond.. may be china will not slam the door to Africa..

[@SkullKing11841]

But the interviewer might just be playing the devils advocate and taking the other side, that's what good interviewers do. :)

[@hazama140864]

see minute 5:00 to 6:53

[@DeathMadeTangible]

She's been doing BLACK LIVES MATTER for over a decade now

[@andrelebaron]

when she says, "we" are pushing an agenda that doesn't work", doesn't she really mean people like Bono and Stephen Lewis?

[@profitprophet6418]

3:48 she has changed what happened? She got bought by the donors after they saw her talent

[@AndyWhite007]

She's like Naomi Campbell with brains (- and obviously more brains than me by this comment)

[@jamlecknjoroge2896]

Africa investments not hangouts

[@danieliskander9680]

The video is terrible. The message of president Mugabe s essentially the problem. The problem is the aid model... The model is wrong. With or without corruption

[@deanopaul]

Dr. Moyo's argument is ridiculous, Africa's problem is a legacy of corrupted leaders and to blame aid lacks logic

[@centraleconomists6261]

You don't understand the problems of Africa, I think you research more

[@BahariNyeusi]

@@centraleconomists6261 Aid is a plus for any country. Think about people in the past who were from rural areas and received a scholarship and as a result gained an expensive education, then go back to the same rural area and assist the community as a doctor or .... The point is a lack of will power of the leaders coupled with a legacy of weak institutions brought about by colonial powers, have all resulted in the slow growth in some African nations. China was once considered third world but today it is accused of stealing opportunities of the west. It is all about moving strategically and outsmarting your competitor.

[@fapphs]

***** Yes, business is evidently the solution and aid is NOT. Never in history has a country succeeded, creating economic growth and structures while putting a meaningful dent in poverty while relying on aid. On the other hand, business has improved significantly the life conditions in China, USA, United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, etc.