Edmund Rice International

“My voice cannot compete with an electric guitar”, said one specialist on development aid for Africa. Commentary on aid to Africa has, in the main, been the preserve of aging rock stars and Western politicians. And, so, the voices of those who raise doubts about what some are calling the ‘aid industry’ remain largely silent. […]

Stories from Zimbabwe abound. We have heard the cholera stories, the state violence stories, the hyper-inflation stories and many, many more. All of them are dispiriting. All of them attest to the collapse of what was once one of Africa’s shining stars. Now Zimbabwe is a dark star. Some would claim that Zimbabwe is a […]

Zambia remains one of the better governed countries in Africa. At least its institutions of governance work by and large. However, corruption remains an issue despite some gains. Zambia’s courts have handed down some tough rulings against corrupt officials from previous administrations. This has been interpreted by some as a positive indication of a commitment […]

The current issue of Le Monde 2, the week-end supplement to Le Monde, the prestigious French daily, carries an interview with Professor Paul Collier. Along with Jeff Sachs, Paul Collier is one of the acknowledged experts on development economics. Those who follow this theme at the theoretical level will be familiar with the often trenchant […]

Aid agency representatives October 24, 2008 Aid and financial crisis. Photo: Dyson Governments are spending billions to save stricken companies. From another quarter comes a plea for them to offer as much in aid for struggling nations. EARLIER this month, the US Government gave another bail-out of $US37.8 billion ($A56.2 billion) to giant insurance company […]