The United States foreign aid in African countries: a comparative study of the socio-economic impact of U.S. aid in Egypt, The Sudan and Zaire, 1965-1982

摘要

Does the United States bilateral aid to African countries promote socio-economic dependence or development? This is the major question considered in the study.The modernization analysts contend that bilateral aid from the United States promotes development whereas the radical analysts maintain that it promotes dependency.The research consisted of a critical analysis of the United States foreign aid program in the African nations of Egypt, Sudan and Zaire. It involved the investigation and evaluation of the economic and social consequences of the American foreign aid program in countries under study. Using the aggregate data of projects sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the effects of foreign aid (independent variable) on such dependent variables as income distribution, trade, employ ment, debt burden, technology, and agricultural development were studied.Our analysis and evaluation of the available data strongly support the dependence/development paradigm. Despite official claims to the contrary, the study shows that the effects of aid have been increased underdevelopment and inequality in countries that are recipients of such aid.The United States foreign aid to Africa is often not intended for development but for geopolitical and strategic considerations, weapons of cold war and of control of recipients and for monetary gains. Besides, since aid is often tied to domestic procurement, it often imposes control on the recipient in decisions concerning develop ment.A lot of waste results from mismanagement, and massive debts are incurred by countries that depend heavily on aid. Therefore, rather than promote development, it pro motes inequality and dependence.