Publication

This essay considers the future of foreign aid in light of Dambisa Moyo's book "Dead Aid," which argues that western aid to Africa has brought more harm than help. The influx of aid, Moyo contends, allows African governments to shirk their responsibilities to their citizens and foments poverty, corruption and underdevelopment. The reviewer finds Moyo's book reflective of widely felt frustration in Africa. In particular, the donor community needs to pay more attention to the costs of aid to recipients and especially to the long-term effects of aid dependence.