Africa isn’t our fault

About the time of year, multimillionaire (usually tax-avoiding) popstars and celebs (hello Bono) like to tell the rest of us who have little money and do pay our taxes that we should yet again be giving generously to help relieve poverty in Africa. But there are some unfortunate facts these hypocrites don’t mention. Africa has received more aid per person over the last 50 years than any other part of the world and little to nothing has been achieved. Study after study by the UN show that over 80% of all money given to Africa in aid is either stolen by corrupt politicians, used to buy weapons or wasted due to stupidity and poor management.

We’d all like to help Africa, but giving billions which end up in African rulers’ Swiss bank accounts isn’t the answer. Instead we should stop all aid to countries that cannot show how every pound has been spent. Then when countries do agree to use aid money for their people rather than for their rulers, we should gradually start giving them help while monitoring that it is not being stolen or wasted. Moreover, what if Bono gave half of his money away? Now that really could make a difference.