(July 15, 2010) It is tempting to suggest that a country’s ability to prepare for disasters is a matter of money. But although wealth certainly matters, politics are more important.
Health charity spent millions to raise thousands
(July 6) A charity in charge of collecting funds for medical programs in the developing world can’t raise enough money to come near covering its operating costs, writes Andrew Jack in the Financial Times.
Foreign aid to Pakistan is a victim of nepotism
(July 5) Writing in The National, Tom Hussain reports that international aid flowing into Pakistan is being abused, as the country suffers from extreme nepotism within its government and non-government organizations.
Banking on the hand that feeds: Food aid is big business in the US
(July 1, 2010) The food aid business is not simply for charity, it’s also a major source of jobs for businesses across the United States. According to a recent report from consultancy group Promar International, the overall economic impact of moving food aid from the nation’s farms to the ports and then on to foreign countries accounts for more than 13,000 jobs and amounts to almost $2-billion in goods and services, or output.
Foreign aid in Afghanistan: what goes in must come out
(July 2) Brady Yauch writes that Afghanistan is, once again, facing allegations of corruption.
Probe International on BNN
(June 27, 2010) Probe International’s Executive Director Patricia Adams participates in a debate on the effectiveness of foreign aid. The debate originally aired on BNN.
PNG tax reform, not overseas aid
(June 18, 2010) In the PNG news, there is an article by Isaac Nicholas that quotes the results of a European Union funded geological survey. The survey data apparently revealed potentially large mineral deposits in the PNG Highlands. The minerals mentioned were copper, gold, silver, zinc, chromium and nickel.
UK to inquire into misuse of India education aid
(June 14, 2010) Britain has launched an inquiry into reports that millions of pounds of aid for education and the ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’, has disappeared into the depths of corruption without any benefit to the poor children the aid was intended for.
Mozambique typifies aid dilemma
(June 1, 2010) Questions about the effectiveness of aid have given rise to a lively debate. Conventional wisdom holds that it is still essential if Africa is to have any chance of reducing poverty. But some development economists dissent from this view, arguing that aid fosters dependency, encourages corruption and undermines the ability of Africans to manage their own economies.
The EU agrees: No representation without taxation
(April 27, 2010) Replacing foreign aid with tax revenues will promote a democratic society where political and economic leaders can be held accountable by their citizens. Not only should there be no taxation without representation, there will be no representation without taxation.
‘Quiet corruption’?: The World Bank on Africa
(April 15, 2010) The ‘Africa Development Indicators 2010’ report on ‘quiet corruption’ is one more example of the World Bank’s distractive politics. Distractive because it seeks, wittingly or unwittingly, to sidetrack issues that are fundamental to understanding the continuing poverty and underdevelopment of Africa. Distractive also because it seeks, probably consciously and purposely, to exonerate the World Bank from its own role in perpetuating Africa’s mal-development.
How U.S. policy affects other countries’ tax rates
(April 7, 2010) According to Probe International, an independent advocacy group, foreign aid provides financially unsound countries with a crutch – and gives little incentive for reform as long as free money is flowing in from other parts of the world.
Corruption biting the hand that feeds: food aid industry facing tough questions
(April 5, 2010) The food aid industry is facing a number of scandals and criticisms that are providing fresh evidence that not only does food aid hurt Third World farmers, it is also a revenue source for corrupt politicians and terrorists.
Moyo: international aid to Africa spurs corruption
(April 2, 2010) Billions of dollars in international financial aid do more harm than good on the African continent, economist and best-selling author Dambisa Moyo said in a lecture to students on Thursday. In the lecture, held in Filene Auditorium, Moyo argued that continued financial aid to African nations allows political leaders to ignore their responsibilities to the population in favor of appeals to potential donors.
Foreign aid and Salvadoran corruption
(March 7, 2010) In the midst of the financial turmoil that rocked the international capital markets last year, the World Bank proudly announced a new $250 million "assistance package" for this country. A few months later a scandal erupted over why a similar amount of money was never accounted for on the government’s books.
Patricia Adams
Brady Yauch
Dai Qing
Fan Xiao
Lawrence Solomon
Mu Lan
Probe International
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