Muammar Al Khadafi

A short but interesting piece courtesy of Rasnah Warah, writing for The Citizen website, and dealing with what does seem to have become the boom business of the last few decades, namely foreign aid to Africa.

"Much of the money raised goes to administrative and logistical costs of aid agencies, including the salaries of bright-eyed aid workers, such as the one described above, who drive big cars and live in nice houses"

"Famine and food aid became the norm, as hundreds of aid agencies set up shop to handle a crisis that was of their own making.In short, Somalia became a 'business opportunity' that provided jobs to hundreds, if not thousands of (mostly Western) aid agency employees.Nicholas Stockton, a former Oxfam executive director, once called this phenomenon 'the moral economy'".

"In effect, Somalia is being managed and controlled by aid agencies — the government is there in name only. Unfortunately, this story is unlikely to be told on CNN, BBC, Sky TV or other global news networks that dominate the international news agenda.And it will certainly not be told by the aid workers whose livelihoods depend on donor money that will soon flow into Somalia via Kenya."

"Nor will the Somali people be given an opportunity to explain to viewers what impact food aid and foreign intervention have had on their lives".

It's a very interesting read from Nairobi based analyst Rasnah Warah, you can read the full story at - http://thecitizen.co.tz/editorial-analysis/47-columnists/13361-story-you-arent-likely-to-hear-any-time-soon.html

There are many with a vested interest in keeping the foreign aid and charity racket going, whether it be maintaining their own livelihoods or just wishing to feel that sense of moral superiority, of having done good.

By charity donations or governments giving away our tax revenues on our behalf, we're all now a part of the moral economy, only it may be a lot less moral or humanitarian than we might think.