Going beyond polemics in solving Africa's problems

Stephen Lewis has been deservedly celebrated, valourized and even mythologized as radical and anti-establishment in his attempt to draw attention to the consistent collective failure of the “developed” world on issues affecting Africa, especially the war in Darfur and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. How effective is his methodology of “mounting political pressure” on western governments to do more for African nations? Is there an alternative to expecting western governments to play Santa Claus?

Lewis has “been there and done that” from Canada to the UN, and it is consequently pleasantly surprising that Africa is so high on his agenda. For consistently speaking against the world’s establishment, which he has wined and dined with, Stephen Lewis deserves every encomium ever showered on him and much more. Many would rather prefer to continue to cite Africa as a pathetic example to demonstrate their knowledge of international affairs.

At the risk of offending our collective sentiments, let me state that I have a strong objection to Lewis’ modus operadi — “mounting pressure” on western governments — to provide financial assistance to African nations and make antiretroviral drugs available. This methodology is hardly workable. You have to have strong faith and hope to believe that western countries would come to the aid of nations they would rather watch as spectacles on the evening news.

Let’s face it: every nation has its fair share of problems. Canada for instance, is pressured by increasing demands for more spending on health care (an area it is far ahead of most nations), and is pressed by an increasing struggle by students to get more money pumped into post-secondary education. The U.S. is also busy and has great commitments, especially in Iraq. We all have our priorities. Expecting Canada to abandon its own domestic problems might be asking for too much. Most voters cannot be convinced on why such foreign “aid” is necessary as Melissa Hiebert pointed out in “Who cares about the African AIDS pandemic?” (Jan. 31).

There are other avenues that we ought to explore if we truly wish to assist African countries. According to Nigeria’s Debt Management Office (DMO), Nigeria uses 65 per cent of its GDP on debt servicing. To be exact, this means payment of interest on loans borrowed and not the principal. But for the current administration’s efforts at ridding Nigeria of debt, generations yet unborn may still owe unborn generations of Canadian and American kids. Nigeria parted with $12 billion in 2006 to write off its debt to the 19 members of the Paris Club. What we need is debt forgiveness so that poor nations don’t keep giving their meagre earnings to rich nations and can at least start afresh.

Canada, U.S., and other countries belonging to the Paris Club and miscellaneous shenanigan organizations should be persuaded to follow the trail of Norway in canceling “illegitimate debt” or “odious debt” emanating from sadistic loans given to dictators and corrupt governments in pursuit of filthy profits.

Another area is the issue of subsidy. In her 1977 book How the other Half Dies: Real Reasons for World Hunger, Susan George argues that the food crisis in parts of Africa is not a scourge but a scandal. It is partly caused by the forced introduction of cash crops to replace food crops and the subsidies given to western farmers, particularly in the U.S., which makes Third World farmers in general unable to compete in the global market. Even Canadian farmers are at the risk of being run aground by bogus subsidies of the American government to its farmers. That the U.S. actively encourages Third World governments to remove subsidies from every facet of life including education, arguing that such is inimical to the free market is simply inhuman. They have allies in brain-washed pseudo-intellectuals and some high-ranking government officials in the Third World.

Stephen Lewis puts a lot of faith in non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Having witnessed how some NGOs function in Nigeria, I have very strong reservations about these selfpreserving establishments. As a friend told me, HIV/AIDS is an “industry” on its own. There are some whose careers depend on our never getting a cure for it. Officials of NGOs largely go on a merry-go-round, making so much motion but no movement. They collect bogus salaries, spend a lot on SUVs they could never ride in their home countries without swimming in debt and are often lodged in five-star hotels in large cities while failing to reach those who need them in rural areas and yet put up compelling advertisement for more money. Of course, this lifestyle needs a lot of funds. That may not apply to all NGOs, but most have very little to show for what they have collected from concerned philanthropists.

I strongly oppose the idea of giving hand-outs to sovereign states. The West should rather help in capacity building. Areas like technology transfer, electricity generation for accelerated industrialization and truly fair trade are more sustainable alternatives.

If all this can be done, then we can go beyond polemics and ephemeral feelings of guilt that last a few nights and perhaps allow Stephen Lewis to enjoy his retirement after a distinguished career.

Tope Oriola is comment editor of the Manitoban and a graduate student in sociology.