Pedro Carol June 5th, 2008

What can Japan and Switzerland/Lichtenstein

do to the poverty reduction in Africa?

It is said that more Africans dream of leaving their home for a better place,
than those who dream of making it one. The defeatism that lies behind this
cynical remark is a direct consequence of one of Africa’s central difficulties:
dependency. First established by colonisation, this dependency on external aid
and interference has been maintained and reinforced, not only by unscrupulous
corporations who exploit the locals for their own profit but also, albeit
unintentionally, by the charities and NGOs who accustom the people to free
outside help.
This unequal relationship between Africa and the rest of the world has
many deep-reaching negative consequences: it encourages corruption in all
levels of society, and decreases motivation and initiative towards economical and
social progress. As a result, the local talent and brains are compelled to migrate
to actively progressive and economically independent countries where they feel
their intellectual assets can be put to good use. Their absence leaves a gap that
is filled by the afore-mentioned external agents, allowing economic colonialism
to thrive.
So how can countries such as Japan, Switzerland and Lichtenstein help
reduce poverty in Africa without sustaining the vicious cycle? As small countries
with few natural resources, these nations have built their economy on one of the
most important and powerful resources of all: the human mind. Education,
innovation and creativity are cornerstones of our success, and it is this “wealth”
that we can share; a wealth that does not enslave or indebt those it is shared
with, if done so in a spirit of cooperation and equality.
We must therefore avoid trying to enforce our systems in total disregard of
their culture and mentality, as such an approach would only weaken their self-
value and increase dependency. Instead, Japan, Switzerland and Lichtenstein
should create cooperative efforts on location, whose aim would be to unite the
local talent around a common goal, using a combination of their knowledge and
ours to create innovative solutions that are adapted to each particular situation
and culture, rather than attempting to import occidental systems that might not
function there.
One concrete application of this would be to create economical research
centres in local universities, whose purpose would be to find – and allow for the
application of – adapted solutions to specific problems in their economy. These
could range from ameliorated versions of already known systems (such as
developing fair trade or establishing village banks and other local enterprises), to
completely new, unprecedented solutions. Not only would this increase business
opportunities and employment for the local population, it would also enhance
their sense of pride and capability, valorise their identity and that of their
community, while encouraging continual progress.
It would be a mistake to suddenly cease the external aid to Africa, as it
would be for the occidental corporations to retreat abruptly from the continent;
both bring some undeniable benefits, and cutting them off suddenly would not
only be impossible, but most undesirable. For Africa to gain its economical
Pedro Carol June 5th, 2008

autonomy, the revolution must be local, individual, through education and

cooperation. There is much more to be done in the realm of education than a
one-page essay can describe, and the battle against poverty has just begun. But I
truly believe that by valorising their knowledge, stimulating their creativity, by
making our experience and ideas available to the African people while learning
from theirs, we can make a difference. In this manner and others, Japan,
Switzerland and Lichtenstein can be defining partners in Africa’s first major step
out of dependency-induced poverty, and into economical and personal
autonomy.