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Rescue Africans from their misery
Who can forget pictures of starving children, their bellies swollen but their limbs matchstick thin, gazing sad-eyed at the television cameras?
- by Daniel Bardsley, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 April 15, 2006
Dubai: Images of human suffering from Africa are etched on the minds of millions of people around the world.
Who can forget pictures of starving children, their bellies swollen but their limbs matchstick thin, gazing sad-eyed at the television cameras?
In Dubai last week, the focus was on measures to help combat this type of poverty and suffering at the three-day Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition.
Efforts to improve things for Africa raise the question of whether enough is being done to help the poorest nations out of their misery.
A poll by Gulf News last week found that just eight per cent of people thought the world was doing as much as it should to end human suffering in Africa. A total of 87 per cent of people thought too little was being done and five per cent were unsure.
City Talk spoke to some Dubai residents to find out if they too felt that developed countries focus more on helping out Africa.
Swiss investment specialist Marcel Kaufmann spoke for many when he described it as "a difficult question".
"I think the developed world is doing the wrong things. We are doing too much of just buying raw materials and giving food.
"We need to help Africa but we need to in a way that helps the people to help themselves. We have to help them establish a local business community and help local farmers to grow their own food," he said.
Jordanian commercial manager Yazeed Siam said the world was not "giving much attention" to Africa. "Certainly not enough is being done. We have a lot of resources to help but we're not using them properly or in the right place. The world spends money on weapons when the money should be invested in improving people's lives," he said.
Siam said "you cannot deny" that Africa was partly responsible for its own misfortune through poor standards of governance.
But he added: "Even if they are responsible, we should be helping them to come out of this."
Egyptian project manager Yasser Ahmad was unequivocal in his views about aid to Africa.
"Definitely the developed world is not doing enough. They spend a lot of money for wars but they don't pay for Africa.
"When they give aid, they have to control the money and make sure it's spent correctly and it's spent on what it is supposed to be spent," he said.
Filipino sales worker Aldrin Ray took a similar view, saying the contribution of rich countries to alleviating African poverty was "not enough".
"Powerful countries invest in guns and weapons but they don't invest in the welfare of the world's people. If they can create new weapons, they should also have ways and means to help people in poor countries. The European Union countries, the United States, Canada and Australia should do more," he said.
Indian commercial manager Kinjal Zaveri recently visited Kenya on business, and said what he saw during his visit suggested Africa needed more assistance.
"I was there a couple of weeks back and that country needs some real help to kick-start normal living. Of course there are concerns about corruption but there are competent bodies that could monitor aid programmes to make sure money is not wasted," he said.
Indian Engineer Muneer Sayed said "Africa definitely deserves aid" from the developed world.
"Enough money should be given for their needs in health and education. These are the things that are most important in Africa.
"Countries like the United States and United Kingdom are supporting in some ways, but I am not sure about Gulf countries. Perhaps they could do more," he said.
This view was echoed by Lal Motwani an Indian who works for an advertisement agency, who said nations in the Middle East should do more for Africa. "The Middle East is rich enough to help Africa and in due course they would get back what they put in," he said.
Omar Salim, a marketing manager from Jordan, said aid for Africa was needed but he warned the continent must not become dependent on external support.
"I think there should be a balance between external support and self sufficiency. If a lot of aid is given, then there will be complete dependency and problems will keep on happening that's the situation now.
"Today the situation is so bad in most African nations Zimbabwe has got worse, South Africa has got worse that we must help in some way," he said.
Business development manager Welma Williams from India, said it was not enough to focus solely on improving people's living standards their mental welfare should also be a concern.
"They are in need of emotional help as well as financial help. People's needs are about more than just money. We need to provide doctors, psychologists and help for orphaned children and people devastated by Aids," she said.
Not everyone thought that the developed world should be spending more to help out Africa.
Tammy Dadosky, a teacher's helper from the United States, said Africa was not keen on receiving aid.
"I think it exists as a world on its own. What they have created is what they have created. They haven't had much aid nor do I think they want it. I think the developed world has tried to help Africa but they've just not accepted any help. I wish they would but it's not their culture," she said.
Staci Knowles said there was little point in pouring millions of dollars in aid money into Africa.
"I think their problems are their own doing. It doesn't matter how much money we put in, they need to sort out their political issues."
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