Poverty in Africa

[Deleted]

Why is Africa seemingly stuck in poverty despite worldwide actions to aid them? We frequently discuss the product of their poverty and what lead them to it but very rarely do I see discussion about what keeps Africa in this state of poverty during modern times. We've tried throwing money at them but it doesn't seem to provide long-term help. It seems this problem is more political in nature rather than economical. So the question remains; Is it internal or external (in)actions that keeps them poor? And what can we do to help them better?

[Sole-Warrior]

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA (September 3, 2014)— At least a trillion dollars a year is siphoned out of developing countries through corrupt activity involving shady deals for natural resources, the use of phantom firms, money laundering and illegal tax evasion, according to new research by The ONE Campaign. These are precious resources to fight poverty in countries that can least afford to lose them.

"Launched ahead of November’s G20 summit, ONE’s latest report, The Trillion Dollar Scandal, estimates that as many as 3.6 million deaths could be prevented each year in the world’s poorest countries if concrete action is taken to end the secrecy that allows corruption and criminality to thrive."

The reasons... are varied, but this reason should not be taken lightly at all. The amount of development aid is insignificant, oh, and not all aid is created equal, aid that is just corporate food is not good enough, you need contraception, education, and a host of other things.
As for actual solutions, obviously something ought to be done about the corruption, as for us I do know regular people can donate, but just make sure to research your charity, Charity Navigator is a good start imo.

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/...nformation.htm is pretty good, but you can also check out for further reseach on the charities with the largest impact on a per dollar spent level http://www.givewell.org/charities/top-charities, keep in mind that there are still many charities they have not contacted.

But regardless, charities will only go so far, although you should definitely donate, and they help with long term solutions like education and family planning and vaccines, but what they also need is a systematic reform on dealing with corrupt businesses, ridiculous loans, and such.

The trillion dollars that is being lost is not development aid. It is money generated by business activity that is illegally siphoned out of developing countries. ONE’s new analysis also shows that if only a fraction of this money was recovered and used to fight poverty, in sub-Saharan Africa alone the recovered money could be used to:

Educate an additional 10 million children per year;
Pay for an additional half-million primary school teachers – providing all out-of-school children in 16 African countries with an education;
Provide antiretroviral drugs for over 11 million people living with HIV/AIDS; and
Pay for almost 165 million vaccines.

Specifically, ONE’s report calls on G20 leaders to take action in four areas:

Shine a Light on Phantom Firms: Make information public about who owns companies and trusts, to prevent anonymous shell companies and similar legal structures from being used to launder money and to conceal the identity of corrupt and criminal individuals and businesses;

Publish What You Pay: Introduce robust payment disclosure laws to increase transparency in the oil, gas and mining sectors to prevent natural resources in poor countries from being stolen from the people living above them;

Crack down on tax evasion: Institute automatic exchange of tax information so that developing countries have the information they need to collect taxes they are due; and

Open Data: Publish government data so that citizens can follow the money from resources to results and hold their governments to account for the delivery of essential services.

[DEATHETERNAL]

After colonialism went out of style, Africa was not culturally advanced enough to take advantage of the opportunities opened to it by colonial advancement. Africa still has not overcome that problem and advanced to properly exploiting the wealth the land holds. Africa will remain in poverty until tribalism ends, leaders who care for their people more than themselves are placed in power, and the people have the sense to follow them.

[Deleted]

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA (September 3, 2014)— At least a trillion dollars a year is siphoned out of developing countries through corrupt activity involving shady deals for natural resources, the use of phantom firms, money laundering and illegal tax evasion, according to new research by The ONE Campaign. These are precious resources to fight poverty in countries that can least afford to lose them.

Yikes! I figured it had to do with something like that. The scale of that is simply terrifying.

[Gheld]

Because militarized warlords that are leftover from the days of European colonialism (and the consequent resistance) use forced labour to extract Africa's wealth of minerals from the ground and then sell them to western entrepreneurs for a fraction of their market value in order to buy weaponry that allows them to continue being militarized warlords.

And "It's not my problem."

Therefore Africa is fucked up.

[Sledfang]

Both internal and external factors contributed to them being poor, but any solution going forward has to be internally oriented. There simply isn't enough money to throw at them. They need to be able to organize themselves industriously, but also without a hitting a certain level of corruptness. In the US we typically believe our politicians are ultra corrupt, capitalism is terrible, corporations are evil. While that has some merit, the truth is society can get a lot worse and corruption can be a lot uglier as it is in many 3rd world countries.

As far as poverty, high birthrates (low abstinence/birth control) and western medicine have influenced population booms in some areas. Without a corresponding boom in economy, food, and fresh water, the poverty problem simply perpetuates itself.

[Sole-Warrior]

Yikes! I figured it had to do with something like that. The scale of that is simply terrifying.

Yup, and there won't be any sole band-aid fix either, what they will need is obviously a more educated populous, Governments as well as charitable aid will help with that, contraceptives, and vaccines, again, government and charity aid is needed, so parents will be more capable of caring for children while holding back the aids epidemic, STD disease, epidemics, actually also harm economic development while causing HORRIBLE suffering in the process.

Governments will also need to get on the ball in looking after economic corruption that harms everyone. This is a big one that is needed to happen.
The population needs to be aware they are being screwed as well.

The amount of money flowing OUT of developing countries is TEN FUCKING TIMES that of the total aid. Sure, increasing and making aid more efficient would be a good thing, and also very important, as an educated populous is very important, but we also ought to focus in on corruption while aid is being delivered.

[wishbone346]

Africa remains in poverty because that's the way the west wants it. If you think that anyone is actually trying to help them out of poverty, America or otherwise, you're sorely mistaken. /thread

[Sledfang]

That was fast. Already getting complainers.

Question: Whats the solution to poverty in Africa?

Typical Answer: The West is a doodyhead!

[diddle]

Africa remains in poverty because that's the way the west wants it. If you think that anyone is actually trying to help them out of poverty, America or otherwise, you're sorely mistaken. /thread

That's some real tinfoil hat shit right there my friend. The real problem is established infrastructure. Unless the world plans on overthrowing nearly every government in Africa than there's nothing we can do to stop corruption and mismanagement from draining donations and natural resources of the area.

[Sole-Warrior]

Africa remains in poverty because that's the way the west wants it. If you think that anyone is actually trying to help them out of poverty, America or otherwise, you're sorely mistaken. /thread

I recall a documentary on foreign "aid" into Jamaica, apparently whatever "aid" or "loans" are so retardedly restricted they can't really use it to improve upon themselves. But lets not make generalizations that NO ONE is trying to help... seriously...

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That's some real tinfoil hat shit right there my friend. The real problem is established infrastructure. Unless the world plans on overthrowing nearly every government in Africa than there's nothing we can do to stop corruption and mismanagement from draining donations and natural resources of the area.

I believe he is talking about the US politicians and many members of western officials and leaders not really interested in solving problems.

[Sledfang]

I believe he is talking about the US politicians and many members of western officials and leaders not really interested in solving problems.

We cant even fix our own problems, let alone Africa.

Because militarized warlords that are leftover from the days of European colonialism

Like Obama? He must not care about poverty in Africa or else he would of fixed it by now? The president needs a shot of multiculturalism, STAT!

[wishbone346]

That's some real tinfoil hat shit right there my friend. The real problem is established infrastructure. Unless the world plans on overthrowing nearly every government in Africa than there's nothing we can do to stop corruption and mismanagement from draining donations and natural resources of the area.

And why exactly isn't there any infrastructure in Africa? English Empire leaving it in shambles after using it for hundreds of years. Belgium pulling out of the Congo after the money dried up without even trying to put in a real government. The UN sending a pathetic 300 "peace keepers" to stop Tutsi and Hutu violence. Loans being given to African nations but only under the stipulation that they use it to manufacture things the loaning country needs resulting in cultures that had never farmed historically having to grow cash crops that won't even grow in those environments, and then the countries owing money they can never pay back putting them even further down on the totem pole. Oh, and lets not forget the diamond trade. Nah, it's totally all just a conspiracy theory though, right?

[diddle]

And why exactly isn't there any infrastructure in Africa? English Empire leaving it in shambles after using it for hundreds of years. Belgium pulling out of the Congo after the money dried up without even trying to put in a real government. The UN sending a pathetic 300 "peace keepers" to stop Tutsi and Hutu violence. Loans being given to African nations but only under the stipulation that they use it to manufacture things the loaning country needs resulting in cultures that had never farmed historically having to grow cash crops that won't even grow in those environments, and then the countries owing money they can never pay back putting them even further down on the totem pole. Oh, and lets not forget the diamond trade. Nah, it's totally all just a conspiracy theory though, right?

The West certainly isn't very interested in helping Africa develop. I completely agree with everything you've said, the West really doesn't do dick that would show invested interest in developing Africa.

My apologies, I thought you were suggesting a concentrated effort to keep Africa from developing.

[Raptor With a Saber]

Because Africa is a continent of worthless people. They get things handed to them built up and saved more times than any of the other Continents put together.
They also don't want to advance because those in power know that advancement in life means they lose power and the people they rule are just sorry excuses for people who say meh at least a lion hasn't eaten us today and we werent raped or killed yet so our leaders are doing a good job.

Or we can go the other route that proves it, Life started in Africa and they are still as bad as ancient times.

Yes i hate Africa not for any other reason than they have had the time to show the world they are something and they constantly fail to do so.

Infracted: No nation bashing please

[wishbone346]

The West certainly isn't very interested in helping Africa develop. I completely agree with everything you've said, the West really doesn't do dick that would show invested interest in developing Africa.

My apologies, I thought you were suggesting a concentrated effort to keep Africa from developing.

No, not at all. I just meant that if we really wanted Africa to develop we could help it. It's just that the west isn't really trying at all. It's just more profitable to have a non-developed Africa so we see a "why bother?" mentality. And no problem, I snapped a little too with my snarkiness at the end there so I apologies as well.

[diddle]

Because Africa is a continent of worthless people. They get things handed to them built up and saved more times than any of the other Continents put together. They don't want to advance because those in power know that advancement in life means they lose power and the people they rule are just sorry excuses for people.

Or we can go the other route that proves it, Life started in Africa and they are still as bad as ancient times.

Yes i hate Africa not for any other reason than they have had the time to show the world they are something and they constantly fail to do so.

You're not very educated to say the least. A middle school world history class would do wonders for you.

[Raptor With a Saber]

No, not at all. I just meant that if we really wanted Africa to develop we could help it. It's just that the west isn't really trying at all. It's just more profitable to have a non-developed Africa so we see a "why bother?" mentality. And no problem, I snapped a little too with my snarkiness at the end there so I apologies as well.

Its not the Western nations Fault that they aren't developed its their own damn fault. They have had the time and resources given to them plenty of times. They just don't want to do anything.

[wishbone346]

Because Africa is a continent of worthless people. They get things handed to them built up and saved more times than any of the other Continents put together.
They also don't want to advance because those in power know that advancement in life means they lose power and the people they rule are just sorry excuses for people who say meh at least a lion hasn't eaten us today and we werent raped or killed yet so our leaders are doing a good job.

Or we can go the other route that proves it, Life started in Africa and they are still as bad as ancient times.

Yes i hate Africa not for any other reason than they have had the time to show the world they are something and they constantly fail to do so.

That has to be the most ignorant statement I've ever heard. Go take a history class, buddy. Like seriously.

[Raptor With a Saber]

You're not very educated to say the least. A middle school world history class would do wonders for you.

I don't say this much but instead of trying to insult why not make some effort to prove me wrong and name some things that would well prove me wrong.


Edit:: And to Mr. Wayne prove me wrong and ill go study up.