Exploitation of Africa's Natural Resources
Far too many times have I listen to folks assert that the international community wastes resources by throwing money at the “problem” of famine and violent conflict in Africa. This is a huge misconception. In fact, the money that the international community spends is at best miniscule in comparison with the amount of profit the international community gains from the exportation of Africa’s natural resources.
Take oil in Sudan for instance- South Sudan is an impoverished and violence stricken country rich in oil that is exported throughout the global community for profit. The travesty in this is that the world does not recognize that the Sudanese only represent 5 percent of corporations that profit from oil exportation while 95 percent are represented by foreign countries. Herein is the real problem- gross exploitation.
What we see here is yet another case foreign power taking advantage of Africa’s instability to facilitate the build-up its own wealth. This is the real cause of famine and violent conflict in Africa.The pouring of money into Africa is not only a farce, but it threaten to perpetuate annihilation the continent’s people as it lures the global community’s attention away from true origin of Africa’s problems.
I would argue if rewarded with a more equitable share of profits from its natural sources, Africa would not need the international community’s money for humanitarian aid, building infrastructure, or anything else. It would be far better equipped to manage it problems itself. What do YOU think???
MAJ Robert L Perry, Student, Command and General Staff College, US Army Combined Arms Center, FT Leavenworth, KS
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of defense, or the US Government.
In Bed with the NGOs - a frustrated military
Quote:
Originally Posted by
robocop187
Hey Stan!!!
Thanks for your response! You are right...The NGOs will hate this idea but who cares;)!!!!
Please keep with this string if you have time!!!
OK, (Major) Robert , here's another twist for academic research, which I ended up with in both Zaire and Rwanda:
We're all there trying to do something. Some of us capable yet underfunded (by DOD), some funded (by everybody else on the planet) and yet incapable. Being part of the capable category and a member of a 3-man team faced with over a million refugees, I had some strange (and often inhospitable) bed fellows known as NGOs.
Stereotypes aside, our daily interaction included avoidance and antagonism. Gun-wielding military and the humble NGO would set the stage for 6 months of a disaster watching people get raped, shot, die of cholera, and starve to death.
I can't even fathom how much cash went into that scenario, but, I have wondered what would have happened if we just left that situation to fester without getting involved.
So, in the grand scheme of things, waste of money and resources aside, what would you have recommended we (the 3-man team) do ?
Keep in mind you were sent there without guidance, barely any money, and a very skeptical SNCO on the verge of crying "retired !".
I'm of the opinion we should be cleaning up our own backyard and should we have reserves, they should be put back in the pot. There are very few politicians at this point that agree with me :D
Regards, Stan