Message-ID: <199701052004.MAA08256@anditel.andinet.lat.net> Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 21:27:41 +0000 From: Reinaldo Vicini <mailto:interext@ANDITEL.ANDINET.LAT.NET> Subject: Foreign Aid To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Dear friends:I just came back from holidays and found out a great deal of postings -very interesting all of them- regarding the issue of foreign aid in developing countries.
As a former member of a regional unit of the National Planning Department in Colombia some years ago, and an interested reader about these issues I would like to post my opinion:
1. Foreign aid in some cases -unfortunely- ends up as a mere subsidy of a developed country to its industry since for instance -I know our friend from Niger could tell.- most of the projects cannot be managed and implemented by locals, but from people coming from the donor country. Additionally, the project is forced to buy AT ANY PRICE items for suppliers coming from the donor country. I do not see that as a foreign view but more as a foreign intrusion.
2. In other cases, contributions tend to be punctual, in other words, does not provide a solution good for others. In order to be effective, a project should be portable -with its modifications of course- to other locations.
3. Yes, unfortunate to say, most of the money is wasted because the limited view of casual actors determine the problem to solve and its solution NO MATTER what the potential recipients think.
4. Aid Agencies and NGOs -local and international- do not involve or deal much with the local governments -I know, there is some reason- and they build luxurious islands for a while and then leave.
Please understand, I do not want to be aggressive or diminish the work of all of you who is well intended but surely, there are some things that should be thought before going into an international project.
However, most of the times, aid is only a political weapon, so why bother? Sorry to say, again, because aid properly used could really be helpful.
Que tengan un Gran Dia Rotario
Reinaldo Vicini P. International Avenue Director Bogota-Santa Barbara Rotary Club Bogota, Distrito 4290, Colombia
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