Why Africa Wasted $1.4 Trillion in Foreign Aid

Why is Africa still the poorest continent in the world even after receiving more than $1 trillion in foreign aid?
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[alanjm]

Foreign Aid is poor people in rich countries sending money to rich people in poor countries.

[turnleft]

As a Zimbabwean, that money wasn't wasted, it served it's purpose perfectly for maintaining corrupt systems and the officials that govern them.

[DWinthekeys]

Having worked in Africa, the corruption there is beyond anything most people can imagine.

[marcusmoonstein]

Speaking as a South African, government corruption plus voters who don't understand how things could be made better is the killer combination. No amount of foreign aid will fix these problems.

[Dexter]

A friend of mine has been in some village in africa to help people there for two seasons. He told me that after that he is done helping them.
The reason? The first year they went there to build some infrastructure so render the village self sufficient: building a well, bringing fishing equipment, make some basic stuff to supposedly help there people do things independently.

The next year he came back and everything was back to the start. The well was rendered inoperable. The fishing equipment was stolen. Anything they did was either broken or gone. Once they asked what happened, they got told that shortly after they were gone previous year, some individuals have begun sabotaging the new things so that everyone would keep remain as miserable as possible so that "the rich people will come again to bring stuff for free".

As I said, my friend has dropped any intention to go there ever again. Until these people change, no amount of help will ever raise them from absolute poverty.

[sarcasticinfj]

South African here. Let me tell you something that made my jaw drop. So there's a bustling mining town called Burgerford in one of our provinces. Rich town due the platinum being mined there. The town is almost 99% ethnically black. Mansions as far as the eye can see. Prosperity in abundance.

Every. Single. Mansion. Has. A. PIT TOILET. Outhouse.

I kid you not.

They can not get their act together to build, maintain and improve infrastructure.

[daduzadude]

As a South African who has travelled to and worked in the majority of African countries, the main problem is threefold:
Corruption
Tribalism
Marxism.

Democracy simply doesn’t work in Africa. Votes can be bought for a light meal, and people still vote traditionally for “liberation” parties. Case in point the ANC…
And a lot of politicians believe they can make Marxism work, because they will do it correctly

[jakhulley]

Friend of mine was in the marines and was posted to sierra leone, He would tell me about the locals who did nothing but sit around all day and look for any opportunity to steal from the base, after the soldiers left the africans stormed into the base and literally started fighting each other over the chairs the soldiers had made from scrap wood and para cord.

[Dreez]

If it was up to me, we wouldn't give a single cent to Africa in foreign aid, it's just wasted money.

[womsky]

Stop giving them money, It's only going for the corrupts pockets.

[richystar]

Corruption and nepotism is at the heart of Africa.... taking everything for yourself and family and giving none to strangers is what African people are all about.

[MrOwusu-Arko]

I’m a Ghanaian and I can tell you one simple reason why we are poor= Socialism.
Over dependence on government for everything from sanitation to employment

[jwvvvv]

How much of the money donated to Africa ended up in the pockets of UN, WHO, etc. officials?

[someasiandude]

Botswana learned the ways of free markets and their people prospered because of it

[unclescar]

I am African, Zambian. If I were summarise what I think the problem in African is, I'd say Institutions. African countries does not have the necessary governance and economic institutions to utilise the aid and the abundant resources they have. Corruption, war and bad governance thrive in places with weak institutions and laws. Unfortunately, many Africans believe the solution lies in politians and so they entrust them with more power there by weakening the systems further.

[CarlSteyn]

I am an open-minded South African who has spent my whole life trying to fathom the African mind. Watching Africa becoming independent was an absolute eye-opener. Liberia was the first country to get there. After 140+ years it is the 6th poorest country in Africa. As each country gained independence they have reverted to petty kingdoms like their ancesttral forefathers. Colonial infrastructure was neglected but glitz was not. Big cars, Armani Gucci etc was de rigeur. They seem to only live for today with no plan for tomorrow. Corruption is applauded. The more you can get away with, the more you are admired and féted. Living right up to your neighbour is ok as that is how the villages used to be. Baffling to the Western mind. Aid is not seen as a chance to uplift my brother only as what is in it for me. 😎😎😎

[edennis]

Part of the problem also is that in much of African culture, if one person gains, then the rest of the family feels entitled to take it. Anyone who wants to get ahead has to leave their country and set up shop where they don't have any relatives. As you can imagine, this practice keeps most Africans who live under it to remain perpetually poor. By the way, when these people move to the US, they retain this attitude. It promotes perpetual poverty in a country filled with opportunities because they have no incentive to improve their situation when their relatives will just confiscate any gains they make.

[thevox]

I recall reading an article about the sources and explanations of why the small Central European countries like Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, and Denmark are so wealthy despite having no natural resources. The author believed it was because those countries, in the absence of agriculture, minerals, timber etc, developed sophisticated financial infrastructure -- they chose to facilitate business between their European neighbors and eventually the world.

In contrast, Africa has always made zero investment in human capital. Their human resources are cheap, abundant, unsophisticated and frankly expendable. Africa's governments have always invested exclusively in extracting and selling natural resources, and made no investment in sophisticated industrial and financial development.

[UhrBushaltestelle]

Just recently, The government of AkwaIbom State in Nigeria spent $39M+ to build a church while most people are living in poverty with 75% unemployment rate.

[phillipcowan]

People used to go to Rhodesia to see the ruins of Great Zimbabwe. Now people go to Zimbabwe to see the ruins of Great Rhodesia.😥