Institute For The Future

Dead Aid

Dambisa Moyo, a native Zambian , with a PhD in economics from Oxford University has published a very exciting book, Dead Aid. Dambisa is the first female economist who has published a book about development I have the opportunity to read. The development economics field seems to be almost 100% dominated by white Western males. Not only is Moyo female, but she is a native African. How refreshing to have an African weigh in on African issues.

Dambisa Moyo’s book is highly controversial, her bottom line being the world should stop giving Africa billions and billions of dollars in aid. After 60 years of aid flowing to Africa, the basic goals of aid have not been met. Poverty has not been lessened. In fact, Africa has a far higher percentage of people living in extreme poverty than it did in the 70s. Moyo explains how aid has fed directly into the continued corruption and warring of African politicians, preventing Africa from solving its own problems. While I lived in Kenya in 2006 there was a major scandal in which 60 billion Shillings disappeared, that’s close to a billion US dollars! Africa has money. It’s just not reaching the people in need, and clearly the aid that our governments have been giving to Africa hasn’t either. Moyo proves her case by comparing African countries that did not accept aid vs. countries that did. Countries that did not receive aid or better off today.

Whether you agree with Moyo or not, Dead Aid is a millstone book. Moyo is strong voice coming from within the Global South speaking up and taking control. Anyone interested in development work in Africa should read this book.