Message-ID: <2ea2fd63.3597bf48@aol.com> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 12:22:31 EDT From: Nicole Richards <mailto:AXEOXALA@AOL.COM> Subject: Re: If donors helped American Independence To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Sam,I am not quite sure where you could publish it, maybe The Earth Times? I trust you have heard about the Eritrean position towards such aid? Could this kind of mentality expand across Africa or are the other African countries too beholden, too "mentally-shaped" to do so?
Nicole Richards ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Eritrea Rejects Foreign Aid
June 15, 1998
NAIROBI (AANA) - The government of the state of Eritrea has decided to bring an end to the involvement of non-governmental organizations in development programs.
Sources at the Eritrean embassy in Nairobi told AANA that all NGOs were required to hand over all their material and equipment to the government by the beginning of this year. As a result several NGOs have left the country. Already, World Vision, Accord and Oxfam have packed their bags and departed.
Other sources say that the United States International Development Agency (USAID) still has an office in Asmara, the Eritrean capital.
By the end of April, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) was also due to close down its operations in Eritrea. But talks between LWF Secretary General Ishmael Noko and the Eritrea president Isaiyas Afwerki on May 20 delayed the departure. They met to discuss possible solutions for the use of LWF assets in the country.
The secretary general proposed either LWF be granted a long extension of its operations or that a special fund be established from the proceeds of all movable assets of the Eritrean program. This would be used for projects in favor of the Eritrean people. The two parties will meet again on July 15.
"The LWF is not questioning the right of the government of Eritrea to do what it wants but we are raising two fundamental issues. First is the conclusion of the work that has been developed on the basis of good partnership between the evangelical church of Eritrea and LWF and the Eritrean government. Second, the assets intended for assisting Eritrean people should be converted into a fund that will be managed by a board in which the Eritrean church can participate," commented Noko.
The Eritrean government has accused NGOs of being too expensive and unproductive. Sources at the embassy said that they have been investing as little as 30 percent on development programs. At the same time there have been claims that no meaningful development has been seen by the people since NGOs started their operations in Africa about forty years ago.
"The Eritrean government does not want to introduce a culture of handouts to its citizens. We want them to learn to work for their own development," said the embassy spokesman. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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