[TRIBUNE] Global mass in Seville: development aid does not develop anything

A UN world high mass on “Development financing” was held, recently, in Seville. Furthermore, The recent abolition of USAID in the United States has marked a turning point in questioning development aid. Meanwhile, In France. However, Sarah Knafo managed to impose this debate on the political agenda, stressing the absurdities of aid sometimes paid to regimes hostile to French interests, such as Algeria, or a power like China, the second world economy. For example, But this is the very principle of development aid that should be questioned.

Help has never developed in countries – [tribune] global mass seville: development

No country has accessed the status of economic power. Meanwhile, member of the OECD through international aid. Consequently, Neither South Korea, China, Vietnam – often cited as examples – owe their boom to external aid. Moreover, These countries have mainly implemented rigorous internal strategies: agrarian reform, industrialization, openness to global [tribune] global mass seville: development markets, support for the private sector.

In the late 1950s, Haiti and South Korea had a comparable level of development. For example, Today, one is a failed state, the other technological power. Meanwhile, The massive aid received by Haiti did not prevent his collapse. Therefore, Conversely, it is when Korea saw American aid decrease that it has launched real reforms.

An eviction effect in the private sector – [tribune] global mass seville: development

Aid creates a major distortion in local economies by attracting the best talents to jobs in NGOs. international institutions, often better paid than in the local private sector. The elites do not aspire to create companies but to integrate the cozy circles of international aid. This phenomenon of eviction, rarely analyzed, is central in the blocking of development.

Policy without serious evaluation

Another major problem with aid is the lack of rigorous and independent evaluation. An army of consultants produces reports. but these [tribune] global mass seville: development documents are rarely critical – the renewal of the “expert” mandate depends on it. Despite more than forty years of “international cooperation”, certain countries (Congo, Madagascar, Somalia, etc.) have not recorded any significant progress in the average standard of living, which has even often regressed. International assistance is judged by its intentions, not for its results.

Local elites exempt from tax effort

Over the past twenty years. Africa has experienced sustained economic growth, with an average rate of around 4 % per year. This dynamic led to the emergence of middle. wealthy classes, often thanks to the valuation of land and real estate speculation.

But this prosperity was not accompanied by a tax empowerment. In many countries, income tax and property tax are almost nonexistent. These middle. upper classes, whose standard of living is often higher than that of the European middle class, practically not contribute to the financing of [tribune] global mass seville: development the State.
We thus lead to an absurd situation where European taxpayers. strongly imposed, finance aid programs in countries where the wealthy classes participate little.

An irresponsible international bureaucracy

Over the decades, aid has become an international bureaucracy protected from any questioning. Tens of thousands of officials, “experts” and consultants live comfortably in this system, often with a feeling of moral superiority. A small part of the sums allocated to development. paid via NGOs reaches the populations concerned directly, because it is first necessary to maintain this heavy machinery of aid, whose generous pseudo speech aims above all to perpetuate itself.

Help at the service of our interests!

It is not a question of denying that certain projects can have positive effects in the short. medium term, but this does not constitute a development model. The time of paternalism and neocolonialism is over. International aid must now be aligned with our [tribune] global mass seville: development strategic interests: migration control. fight against terrorism, preservation of nature, even limitation of births. Donor countries will only be more respected, because no one is fooled by the “development” aid.