Theoretical Debate on the Development Aid in Africa
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Date
2022-12
Authors
Koku, Usman Ugboga
Otieno, Oduor Isaiah
Kisiang’ani, Edward
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IJRISS
Abstract
Development aid flow to African countries started in
1960s when most African countries attained Independence from
their colonial masters. The aim of giving development aid to
African countries is to help them overcome development
challenges. It was estimated that west developed countries has
spent about $600 billion on development aid to African countries.
Yet, there is little effect of development aid on socio-economic and
political development in African countries. This led to ongoing
debate on effectiveness of aid on development. The paper has
traced the historical origin of development aid, and the theoretical
justification of the need of giving aid to African countries. It also
explained the theoretical debate among scholars who are in
support of development aid as a mean of promoting economic
development in African countries and those with the view that
development aid failed to deliver development to African
countries, instead it created dependency syndrome. The study
reveals that corruption, aid conditionality, aid volatility, debt and
unfair trade relations between the developed countries and
African countries hindered the effective performance of
development aid in African countries. The study also found out
that African leaders attempted to address the failures of
development aid in the continent, through Lagos action plans and
Monrovia declaration of development agenda under the umbrella
of organization of Africa Union (Africa Union), but the two
documents failed to address the lack of political and economic
growth in African countries. Therefore the study recommend that,
the pattern of relationship between donor countries and African
countries, have to be redesign, and the structural imbalance in the
global trading system must be reform, and free trade should be
replaced with fair trade. The study also suggests that African
governments should reforms their political and economic
institutions in order to address the problem of corruption and
management of development aid in the continent.
Description
Article
Keywords
Development Aid, Development, African Countries, Economic Growth, Donor
Citation
Koku, U. U., Otieno, O. I., & Kisiangâ, E. (2022). Theoretical Debate on the Development Aid in Africa. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 6(12), 520-528.