Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9505172036.B27735-0100000@cln> Date: Wed, 17 May 1995 20:58:23 -0700 From: VALERIE BRUCE <mailto:vbruce@CLN.ETC.BC.CA> Subject: Re: Africa To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L
How, specifically and practically, does one hold leaders personally responsible for the appropriate allocation of aid funds? Promises and contracts are meaningless. Once the money is in their hands you can forget about it. We're talking about separate countries here, with their own systems of justice and values.The UN leading the way? The UN is at present ineffective, burdened by its lack of funds, commitment, vision, and leadership. It is in a state of profound disarray. It can't possibly take on anything else. Besides which, it's a huge bureaucracy. They generally have difficulties getting anything done, even if they have vision, policies, direction, etc.
NGO's/community-based grass roots projects get my vote. With strict NGO management in the field, not from the office in the US or wherever.
Valerie Bruce
On Wed, 17 May 1995, c. leite wrote:
> With respect to "appropriately" directing aid, anecdotal and other
> evidence certainly suggests that some routes, e.g. NGOs and very
> specific community-based projects, are relatively more effective. In the
> long-term, however, I believe the "best" alternative is to insist that
> reasonably effective accounting procedures be developed as the West
> appears to be doing with Palestine. It may also be advisable to hold
> leaders personally responsible for the eventual allocation
> of aid funds. In this regard it would be extremely helpful to abolish
> this idea of untraceable bank accounts. They seem to serve only one
> purpose: allow scam artists and bankers to profit from crime.
>
> Three things are clear: (1) we are interested (at least some of the time)
> that aid get to the people who bear most of the burden, (2) these
> people either have relatively little info or ability/willingness to
> hold their own government accountable, and (3) we believe that holding
> governments accountable is a good thing. It would then seem
> straightforward for the UN (or the OECD if the UN "fumbles" the ball
> again) to set out some clear-cut objectives and guidelines with respect to
> allocation/tracing of aid funds. Countries not living up to such
> guidelines would be excused from receiving further government-government
> aid. Such actions might well be the very best thing we could do for those
> people suffering in utter misery because it certainly is clear to me that
> current aid programs had only helped to make people like Mr. Mobutu
> extremely rich.
>
> Carlos Leite <mailto:cleite@julian.uwo.ca>
>