More Aid is Not What Africa Needs From Obama (Business Day)
Summary: This article argues that foreign aid is not the most effective way to solve the conflicts in Africa and may not be effective at all in this case. Instead, Greg Mills and Terence McNamee propose the best way to start healing Africa is to integrate them more fully into the global market in a way that encourages their independent governance.
Topic: Should the Obama administration double foreign aid for Africa?
Category: Government Institutional
What Is It? Article on RUSI website, but it first appeared in Business Day
Title: More Aid Is Not What Africa Needs From Obama
Publication Information: Royal United Services Institute, no date listed, South Africa
Author: Greg Mills and Terence McNamee
Location: http://www.rusi.org/research/studies/menap/commentary/ref:C497D7B87E4BF3
Accessed: January 29, 2009
Support:
• Barack Obama, President of the United States
• W. Bush Administration
• The United Nations
• Liberia’s recovery process with help from UN
Mills and McNamee use these sources to build a case against increasing foreign aid funds. A quote from the U.S. President was used to set the scene as to his intentions for foreign aid (doubling it). The Bush administration’s previous use of foreign aid and attempts to stabilize Africa were referenced as how ineffective the sole use of foreign aid can be. African voting trends at the United Nations (against US) prove that the Bush administration’s attempts to improve US relations with Africa haven’t been effective. Liberia is referenced as being a good model for how an African country can rebuild with the help of a team of allies (UN), rather than a single nation (which they argue is impossible, so the US shouldn’t even attempt it).
Source Analysis: The Royal United Services Institute is a London based institute that was originally instituted by the Duke of Wellington. Its purpose was for defense management and military progress research, which is still its purpose today. It has nearly two centuries of work under its belt and is the oldest united services institute in the world. RUSI touts its reputation for quality and objectivity and states its four main activities as Research, Events, Publications, and Service to Members. They provide their members (clients) with top-notch information on defense and security based in the research they conduct. Greg Mills is a RUSI council member and chairman of the research committee and Terence McNamee is RUSI editor and director of publications. (Note: looking at this now, I question whether I should have done the analysis for RUSI or Business Day, where this article was first published).
Usefulness: The original audience was that of Business Day, a daily South African newspaper that focuses on economics and business issues. So two British guys are writing about Africa in a South African newspaper to a South African audience. It’s arguing for integration into the world markets and promotion of self-governance from America to Africa rather than just more money. They’re looking for more time and effort from this administration rather than the easy way out. The message would be tailored slightly because it’s directly addressing the people these policies would affect.
Works Cited:
RUSI “About Us” page http://www.rusi.org/about/
Ulrichsweb.com from the UO Library link
