Japanese Official Development Aid to Africa

[Index]

Here's an interesting study into the patterns surrounding Japan's provision of ODA to Africa. I thought I'd put it up since it's relatively short and to the point. Basically the conclusions are:

Japan uses ODA for both idealistic reasons (alleviation of poverty, support of human rights, alleviation of hunger, promotion of democracy), and (neo)realist reasons (to develop trade relations, promotion of US strategic interests).

Interestingly, through its ODA Japan supports US strategic interests in the region, though not their economic ones. Moreover, it seems Japan does not as readily use ODA to promote trade and foreign investment in Latin America as it does in Africa, perhaps to avoid competition with US TNCs which have large stakes there.

[Kasei]

Interesting study. But I have strong doubts upon the method used: how can so much information be extracted from simple flows of money?? As always when figures are prefered to reflection, one must be very careful.
But as I am actually working upon this very subject (the relations between Japan and Africa) I'm wondering if you would'nt know of other studies like this one, or critics of this work??

[Dutch Baka]

Will it help africa? To be honest, Africa is getting a lot help in my eyes all this years, billions of dollars they get from fond raising, we have a national fond raising on one evening, and we get 8million for it. this happends every year, then the goverment gives another "I don't know how many millions" a year, and that is just the Netherlands... count up all the other more rich countries, and you got well HEAPS OF MONEY, every year... what the hell is happening with that money?

Africa is getting more and more aids persons an hour, more poverty , etc. I don't see a lot of positive change... If someone else see this, please tell me!!

Please do not stop giving aid to them, not at all, I am just wondering what is happening, and what will happen to africa the next 20 years...

[Elizabeth]

With hardly anything to show for it, the figure I heard is over the past 50 years more than 500 billion in international aid/development $$. Any long-term answer it seems is going to have to come from scientific revolutions in agriculture, medicine, technology etc to make a dent in improving quality and life and be much more than a temporary band-aid solution.

[yidaki]

That 'is' weird.
Japan has very strong bonds to south america (latin america?),
so one would expect the will to donate money to the needing to be greater there.

Africa was in the hoot after the tsunami,
seems there are quite a few trade relations between thailand and japan for instance.
No, I don't think thailand is in africa.
It's just a chain of events.
Eastern african countries took advantage of the tsunami,
as they were hit by it aswell.
And as a sign of good will to the coalition of countries inflicted by the tsunami,
donating money to those countries is helpful in trade relations

[Live91]

Originally Posted by Dutch Baka

Will it help africa? To be honest, Africa is getting a lot help in my eyes all this years, billions of dollars they get from fond raising, we have a national fond raising on one evening, and we get 8million for it. this happends every year, then the goverment gives another "I don't know how many millions" a year, and that is just the Netherlands... count up all the other more rich countries, and you got well HEAPS OF MONEY, every year... what the hell is happening with that money?
Africa is getting more and more aids persons an hour, more poverty , etc. I don't see a lot of positive change... If someone else see this, please tell me!!
Please do not stop giving aid to them, not at all, I am just wondering what is happening, and what will happen to africa the next 20 years...

Well parts of it go in corruption. That's why politicians are usually hated and feared by people [at least in my country]
The thing is in africa you're usually poor or rich "being in between" is less common.

[leonmarino]

It's not only corruption, often it just doesn't work. A few examples:

Food aid has been given to the Somali's in the past. "Good" you might think, but this has a negative side-effect. Because the farmers living there were dependent on the sale of their food to survive. Now their customers don't buy it anymore because they can get it for free. So the customers become dependent on food aid, but also the farmers, who have lost their income.

Lots of money has also been spend to learn the Somali to start their on crop field. Which sounds like a nicer life than nomadic life. But in reality it is very hard to find some fertile ground in Somalia, so the knowledge they learn cannot be applied, especially not to feed oneself and his family.

Many wells have been digged for the Africans. In the past some women had to walk a whole day to get some water. So that's jolly good you might think. Sure, but now that these women have less to do, they start having more sex, and now an increased population is troubles having finding enough food, causing starvation.

Now, if you look at Somalia today, things have changed. There is a central government but they have no authority at all because it is sponsored by the Ethiopians (arch-enemies of Somali), so except for a small part the country lives in anarchy. Recent tribal fightings and conquests (mainly in the south) cast a shadow on the fact that there is actually a relatively booming economy. Many people have electricity and even telecommunications, thanks to some entrepreneurs, both foreign and domestic. Without the help of any aid programme, but rather driven by entrepreneurship.

Sure, not everything is perfect, fighting still goes on, and clean water is expensive and education is also low. Water and education might indeed be the two things that can be best distributed and coordinated by a public institution. But it is time that the image of humanitarian and development aid being good and increases well-being is done with.

[ricecake]

Self help not hand out is the answer,much of aid money pocketed by local corrupt officials and despotic leaders.

[alma7y]

thankssssssssssssssssss