Global aid cuts are a massive wake-up call. It's time to give Africa a bigger voice

In less than a month, Seville will host the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in a climate of uncertainty following the abrupt decision by the US to dismantle its aid programmes. But Washington is not alone in this posture.
The European Union agreed to reallocate €2 billion (£1.7bn) reallocation from development budgets in February 2024 —and many individual European countries have made cuts to their aid budget. It is a clear signal that the landscape of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is shifting.
For Africa, this isn't just a reshuffle, it is a wake-up call for deep reflection and action: will we adapt, or will aid simply become a relic of the past? The timing is bad, the rationale questionable, and the ripple effects threaten to impact the lives and health of millions depending on aid programmes.
Let's be honest: aid has had a mixed impact. The spectrum of aid's legacy in Africa, including my country, Guinea, runs from positive to disastrous. On the positive side, aid has contributed to infrastructure development – I'm thinking for instance about a project in northwest Guinea to replace an old ferry with a new road and bridge. During a visit, a cunning minister of public works convinced a skeptical partner to go on a very 'special' field trip via the old route, one that left a senior official so sore and tired that all doubters saw the project's true necessity. Once it was completed, traffic soared, proof that aid can work when it's aligned with real needs.
But aid can fall flat. When I was serving as minister of finance, I led efforts to curb directly awarded contracts and boost transparency following an audit of public procurement procedures. The goal was to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of public spending. But some donors were not willing to support this effort. I deplored one particular partner's failure to listen and, above all, a stubborn insistence on taking us backwards by ignoring our analysis. I said no to the help on offer. It was hard but necessary. Aid must serve the real priorities, not satisfy bureaucratic checkboxes.
In a recent discussion with the director of an incubator to help small and medium-sized businesses grow – funded by a government donor – I was struck by the emergence of shortcomings I thought belonged to the past. These included a laziness to question one's own model for delivering results, despite warnings about the risks of inefficiency. We also see a narrow focus on so-called "easily accessible" geographic areas, such as capitals, and on disbursements.
Aid, in many cases, has helped sustain corrupt elites or fostered unhealthy alliances with public administrations – perpetuating dependency rather than solving problems.
When I look back on my own experience in development – a journey close to an out-of-body experience for an African – I realise we are at a critical juncture. It's the moment to question the very foundations of aid institutions inherited from the post-colonial era. Despite some positive reforms, such as untying aid, the core premise remains unequal. It is predominantly driven by the donors, with African countries still being passive recipients rather than active partners. How can this be changed?
Change starts with listening. The 'receiving hand' is not dumb and has ideas. It knows its needs. Recipient countries, especially in Africa, must be at the centre of the discussions. Conversations largely driven by donors are a recipe for failure.
Furthermore, African organisations and think-tanks must be active players. Decolonising aid must be more than just a buzzword. We are making progress, but it must be accelerated. We continue to see consultancies denied opportunities due to insufficient financial strength – despite their thorough knowledge of the field.
It also means better coordination between donors. You would think this is obvious, and yet despite witnessing many innovative and pragmatic approaches, I still see some partners continue to burden governments' limited capacities by each imposing their own distinct systems and reporting requirements. This ends up being a distraction.
Recipient governments are key and are the only ones who should replace any donor. I believe the cuts could be an opportunity to make fiscal compromises that (finally) prioritise the necessary and the productive over the superfluous and the personal gain of some actors. Aid must be used strategically and selectively. It should foster technical cooperation for Africa's economic transformation, its integration higher in global value chains.
Aid should be a catalyst to reform the global financial architecture by leveraging innovation and the capital needed to finance our massive infrastructure programmes. It must be an instrument for the Africa Union's theme of the year: "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations'.
It's time to make sure those people are at the table, and their voices are listened to.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Reuters

38 minutes ago

• Reuters

There are indications Israel breached EU agreement, bloc's foreign policy arm says

BRUSSELS, June 20 (Reuters) - The European Union's diplomatic service said on Friday there are indications that Israel has breached its human rights obligations under the terms of a pact governing its ties with the bloc, according to a document seen by Reuters. Citing assessments by independent international institutions, the European External Action Service said "there are indications that Israel would be in breach of its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement". The report comes after months of deepening concern in European capitals about Israel's operations in Gaza and the humanitarian situation in the enclave. "Israel's continued restrictions to the provision of food, medicines, medical equipment, and other vital supplies affect the entire population of Gaza present on the affected territory," the document said. The EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, announced in May that the bloc would examine whether Israel is complying with the terms of its pact with the bloc, after over half of EU members backed conducting a review. Under the agreement, which came into force in 2000, the EU and Israel agreed that their relationship 'shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles". Israel has said that it respects international law and that operations in Gaza are necessary to destroy Hamas, the Palestinian group responsible for the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. Israel's mission to the EU did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The new document includes a section dedicated to the situation in Gaza, covering issues related to denial of humanitarian aid, attacks with a significant number of casualties, attacks on hospitals and medical facilities, displacement, and lack of accountability. The report also looks at the situation in the West Bank, including settler violence. The document relies on "facts verified by and assessments made by independent international institutions, and with a focus on most recent events in Gaza and the West Bank," it said. The review was proposed in early May by Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, who had raised concerns about Israeli policies 'exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation'. EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the review during a gathering in Brussels on Monday. Member countries remain divided in their approach to Israel. While some ministers could advocate for moving toward taking action based on the review, no concrete decisions are expected at Monday's session. Diplomats expect EU officials will reach out to Israel with the outcome of the review in an effort to influence its behaviour, and that ministers will return to the subject during a meeting with July.

Rhyl Journal

an hour ago

• Rhyl Journal

Russian drones target two Ukrainian cities, killing at least one person

The assault targeted the southern port city of Odesa and the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, hitting apartment blocks, officials said on Friday. The barrage of more than 20 drones injured almost two dozen civilians, including girls aged 17 and 12, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The strikes came as a Kremlin official said he expected an announcement next week on dates for a fresh round of direct peace talks. 'Russia continues its tactics of targeted terror against our people,' Mr Zelensky said on messaging app Telegram, urging the US and the European Union to increase economic pressure on Moscow. Russia has shown no sign of relenting in its attacks, more than three years after it invaded its neighbour. It is pressing a summer offensive on parts of the 620-mile front line and has kept up long-range strikes that have hit civilian areas. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that the date for the next round peace talks is expected to be agreed next week. Kyiv officials have not recently spoken about resuming talks with Russia, last held when delegations met in Istanbul on June 2, though Ukraine continues to offer a ceasefire and support US-led diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting. The two rounds of brief talks yielded only agreements on the exchange of prisoners and wounded soldiers. A fire caused by Russia's nighttime strike on Odesa engulfed a four-storey residential building, which partly collapsed and injured three emergency workers. A separate fire spread across the upper floors of a 23-storey high-rise, leading to the evacuation of around 600 residents. In Kharkiv, at least eight drones hit civilian infrastructure, injuring four people including two children, according to Ukraine's Emergency Service. Russia launched 80 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, Ukraine's air force said, claiming that air defences shot down or jammed 70 of them.

Finextra

an hour ago

• Finextra

Standard Bank adds access to China's Cross-Border Interbank Payment system

In a first for the continent, Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking is the first authorised bank to offer transactions through China's Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS). 0 This content is provided by an external author without editing by Finextra. It expresses the views and opinions of the author. The bank was recently granted license to offer CIPS transactions at this year's Lujiazui Forum. The Forum was created as a high-level global platform for government officials, world financial leaders and outstanding scholars to discuss and foster international financial cooperation and further the financial reform and market opening in China. eponymous conference held in Shanghai. The payment system will allow for interbank payments between Africa and China using Chinese Renminbi (RMB) as the underpinning currency. Access to CIPS will provide banks and financial institutions the ability to clear and settle cross-border payments without the need to use different currencies. 'As an institution that is invested in driving Africa's economic growth, we are excited to be the first bank on the continent that offers CIPS transactions. This demonstrates our commitment and ability to deliver innovative solutions that truly add value for our clients,' says Anne Aliker, Group Head of Client Coverage at Standard Bank Corporate Investment Banking. According to Standard Bank's Trade Barometer 2024, 34% of surveyed businesses source their imports from China in contrast to 23% of the businesses surveyed in May 2023. This is indicative of the growing trade between Africa and China. 'We believe that CIPS will contribute to unlocking Africa's economic potential by fast tracking the advancement in trade that will support infrastructure development, greater regional integration and efficient deployment of capital,' adds Aliker. With China being Africa's largest export market, the new payment system will simplify and accelerate the clearance of transactions between the two markets. 'We will continue to seamlessly meet our clients' needs by providing flexibility in solutions in line with to the developing payments landscape,' concludes Aliker. CIPS transactions will be available on Standard Bank platforms from September 2025.