Overseas Aid ?

[observer]

Now were getting the regular news reports of a famine in Sudan, no doubt the bleeding hearts will be calling for refugees to come to the UK.  Having listened to one of the Sudanese Leaders on BBC Hardtalk, when asked was it acceptable to spend resources on perpetual warfare when their civilians were suffering such hardships; he replied that Western Aid will look after them. 

[Davy51]

Nigeria as well , i believe & what about Yemen ? Their are enough humanitarian agencies in the world to alleviate the annual crises. Let the UN members find ways of providing water for these countries then they can be self sufficient food wise.

[observer]

The problem is Dave, we're between the Devil and the deep blue sea:   In order to stop these regular crisis of powerfull war lords (wholly corrupt politicians), from spending what GDP they have on civil wars, you basically have to intervene militarily, then politically to rectify matters; having tried in Iraq and Afghanistan, I'm not sure there is any public support for that option.  The alternative option would be to cease giving them aid, but as this would merely exacerbate the plight of the starving millions, I doubt we would want that either.  So we're left with doling out public money to these countries to alleviate suffering, whilst in effect, it allows their corrupt Leaders to continue the strife. 

[asperity]

Since the famine of the 80's (Band Aid and all that) the population of Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia has more than doubled and, although the rate of growth is slowing, fertility is still above 4. So obviously, apart from the civil wars that seem endemic in the area, the problem of population growth has not been addressed. So now, surprise surprise, there is famine yet again, and we are being asked to search our pockets again.

[Davy51]

Just like the Great War ,Band Aid was the project to end all famine & resurrect a few failing pop careers ,but all the talk of giving the victims the means to be self sufficient has fallen by the wayside just  as quickly as the immediate famine relief rotted on quaysides & dictators became fat off the proceeds.Obviously the main driver in developing these countries,mineral wealth, is not present in these basket case economies ,but if farming methods were introduced these countries could become more self sufficient.With some of the advanced farming & irrigation methods available today there is no need for some development not to take place,although the arms dealers may not agree.

[observer]

But the problem is, that they have no culture of democracy and the rule of law,  and ambitious and corrupt factions compete at the point of a gun.  Perhaps aid should be conditional on them getting their house in order first ?

[Davy51]

Good idea, get rid of the dictators first,then help them out.

[observer]

Getting rid of single Dictators, is not necessarily a good idea Dave; as we've learnt from Libya, Iraq and Syria. They provide stability and an avenue of influence to go with the aid.  The problem is where you have competing factions, often resourced by the opposing super-powers or Muslim sects, which means civil instability and strife. We also need to take up Asp's point:  the natural order is for consumption not to exceed production; and if food production is inadequate to feed a population, and matters are made worse by uncontrolled increases in population, the result will inevitably be mass starvation. So perhaps, our aid should be targeted at better education, women's rights to birth control and abortion, and to more efficient farming production.   ?

[Davy51]

Alarmingly these countries affected are in the grip of factions alligned to extremist muslim groups affiliated  to ISIS  & Al Qaeda so it is possible that  some of any aid will benefit them. I think maybe a contract to the London Rubber Company is a must though.