Challenges of the current Aid Architecture: Addressing the development needs of Africa
Author: Vitalice Meja, AFRODAD
While the amount of aid has been significant in Africa, it has not contributed sufficiently to a higher growth neither reduction of poverty or creation of sustainable conditions for economic development. In some cases has even contributed to lower growth, corruption, and weakened government internal mechanisms. In this paper, the author describes the main obstacles for aid effectiveness in Africa.
While improving aid architecture under the Paris and Rome agreements could mean a dramatic change for African countries, there is concern over the lack of progress towards the coordination, alignment and harmonisation between and among donors with the African governments.
The paper outlines some of the underlying factors behind these failures and discusses some action points that the African governments and donors could consider towards a better aid architecture.
The paper concludes that aid architecture must address political interests of both donors and recipient as well. Aid would only work with good public institutions and if policies are nationally-owned. It is also needed to address weak public finance management systems, to achieve respect for public systems by donors and the engagement with non-state actors and parliaments.
To read the full paper, click here