End of USAID should not mean the end of US support to Africa

Even when it comes to international aid and assistance, strategic geopolitical interests are at play. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this month announced the results of the review of programs carried out by the US Agency for International Development. It translated into 83 percent of aid being cut and the resulting impact on many African countries has reignited debates on the competition between the US and China on the continent and the heightened risk of humanitarian crises.

Even if competition for influence in Africa is real, framing this under great power competition is a mistake. Indeed, both countries have taken a very different approach and this closure will probably not change China’s plans, which are set in the long term. Moreover, USAID did not stop China from increasing its influence. However, this brings a potential new approach for US support — an approach that supports greater African responsibility and transparency.

According to the Congressional Research Service, sub-Saharan Africa is the largest regional recipient of American foreign assistance. Over the past decade, the aid that the State Department and USAID have administered to Africa has been worth about $8 billion annually. Major recipients have included Nigeria, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and South Africa. In addition to direct US aid, African nations also receive assistance through other American agencies and Washington’s contributions to multilateral organizations.

This brings a potential new approach for US support — an approach that supports greater African responsibility and transparency

Khaled Abou Zahr

About 70 percent of American aid for Africa over the past decade supported health programs, primarily HIV/AIDS, with additional funding for agriculture, economic growth, security, the promotion of democracy and human rights, and education. Key multination initiatives like the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Feed the Future and Power Africa also support the region. Most aid is delivered through contractors, nongovernmental organizations and multilateral bodies, rather than direct government-to-government assistance. And this is probably one of the flaws that made USAID money less efficient.

This situation is not specific to USAID; rather, it reflects how most foreign assistance programs and charities operate. It may come as a surprise, but a large portion of the funds cover administrative costs and running the projects, rather than directly supporting the core objectives. When it comes to cross-border programs, this burden is even higher. And so, in the end, positive change becomes less efficient and this was the case with USAID.

This is why the US should not abandon Africa and give up on all its support. It should focus on bringing about real and positive changes while reinforcing African leadership. It is, to a certain extent, the same as Europe is going through with its security file. Africa deserves the generosity of the American people. Washington just needs to make sure it is well-allocated and executed. In short, it should be a reset, not a cancellation.

This aid should not be motivated by ideological agendas. This is also what made USAID money less efficient. International aid should be aimed at solving real problems and curbing Africa’s reliance on pure foreign aid. It is also an opportunity for African leaders to look for an approach that will build up their own economies. There are two main areas that need to be addressed: fighting poverty and empowering local management. Yet the urgency is on healthcare.

Africa’s predicament is that, despite its wealth in natural resources, which includes some of the world’s largest minerals reserves, a variety of energy sources and large areas of arable land, it is still struck with extreme poverty. Competition between external nations in Africa is hence partly, if not mainly, about gaining control of the 30 percent of the planet’s mineral reserves it homes. The significant deposits of gold, diamonds, platinum, copper and uranium, for example, have been a source of military confrontations for far too long.

Africa deserves the generosity of the American people. Washington just needs to make sure it is well-allocated and executed

Khaled Abou Zahr

The same goes for its other resources. Indeed, Africa is also a major producer of oil and gas, with countries like Nigeria, Angola and Algeria leading in petroleum reserves, while North Africa, particularly Libya and Egypt, contributes heavily to gas production. Moreover, Africa has huge renewable energy potential and solar power could change the entire dynamic in the Sahara.

While poverty and starvation still hit the continent brutally, we quickly forget that 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land is in Africa. It is already a leader in commodities like cocoa, coffee, tea and timber. The potential of fisheries makes Africa a resource powerhouse with immense economic potential.

Unfortunately, while this all sounds good on paper, the reality is very different. The difference between theory and practice goes a long way. And so, we still need to question how foreign aid and its structure have impacted the continent’s development and may have contributed to its ongoing dependence on such support. Moreover, while it has symbolically shifted the moral responsibility of progress from African leaders to Western powers, the reality is it has given the latter carte blanche to get their hands on vast resources in return for building just a few kilometers of road or a few wells. This is why, on a separate note, the Gulf Cooperation Council’s approach has always been respected and accepted.

This is why the end of USAID should not be synonymous with the end of US support to Africa. But any new program should be directed at helping Africa gain control of its own resources for its own development, not to prevent China or Russia from gaining ground but because it is the true spirit of US generosity and the right thing to do. This is how the US will make a true, long-term ally of Africa.

• Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused investment platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.