Rethinking aid

Oxfam’s Jonathan Scanlon, musing about aid vs trade, highlights the hypocrisy of American aid strategy.

We believe that effective foreign aid can make a difference, but it’s only one part of the picture.  If the U.S. government has an interest in supporting lasting change then we need to rethink development in a more interdisciplinary way – global development, writ large, is as much about private sector investment, international and local tax policies, trade, remittances and natural resource extraction as it is about aid.

Let me give one example.  The U.S. charges Cambodia six times as much in tariffs than it provides in aid.

The truth is, aid giving is almost never driven by a genuine sense of altruism. It’s driven by pure national interest. In 2006, for example, the United States gave Cambodia about $50,000 in official development assistance. In the same year, the U.S. charged Cambodia more than $350,000 in tariffs. The cold numbers make it easy to see where America’s true intentions lie. That $50,000 in aid amounted to about a 15 percent discount on Cambodia’s 2006 tariffs — welcome, no doubt, but hardly a gesture of kindness.

The larger point that Mr Scanlon makes is that giving away money is only a small part of creating change in the developing world, and he challenges the U.S. and other governments to rethink their development strategies. For the last 50 years or so, pride and self-interest have largely prevented the aid community from owning up to its failures. But slowly, the aid world is starting to accept that its system is broken. It’s about time.

Maybe in another 50 years, it might actually do something about it.

How many is three twins?

And other bizarre tales of mathematics and death, courtesy of Khmer News.

Three Twins Born in a Destitute Family in Prey Veng

Prey Veng Province: Three twins born in a poor family at 11:30pm on 11 Nov at a referral hospital in Kampong Leav commune, Kampong Leav district. The twins’ mother known as Keo Kamsorth, 27 and her husband Hun Seng, 36 live in Me Bun village, Prey Veng district’s Me Bun commune. Keo Kamsorth said that she has five daughters. She was really difficult when she was pregnant. At first, she asked her husband and mother to have an operation to take them out, but they did not agree until she was sent to the hospital.

10 million Cambodian people can’t access to Lavatory

Phnom Penh: On 13 November 2007, Prime Minister, Hun Sen gave his recommendation to the forum concerning to the hygiene in rural area. According to the statistic research, 100% of Singaporean has the access to the toilet the same as that of Brunei. Also Thailand get this access for 99% similar to Malaysia 94%, whereas in Cambodia, only 17% of people are able to use bathroom, said Hun Sen. 47% of those who has no access to lavatory mentioned about their money, owing to the research result of ministry of Rural Development .

Died and Unconcious one after returning from Kak Then Celebration

Kompong Speu Province: At about 12am, on 11 November, two drunkens rode their motor C-100 korea aiming to leave the celebration from Butom Por pagoda, located in Krang De Vay commune. The two guys named Chie Chey, 17 and Khem Samnang, 21 live in Phnom Sroch villege, rode his motor to get back to his father’s house. When arrived at the scence, Chie Chey, the driver, crshed the small hill near the pagoda, which causing himself died instantly and left Samnang unconcious at the place, the police said.

A Woman Die of Choke on the way

Kampongspur Province: A 68-year-old woman died of choking on rice on Nissan, kind of vehicle, on the way from Kar Thoen festival in Takeo province. The incident happened at 1:35pm on 12 November 2007 in Phearey Meanchay commune, Bor Sad district, police said. The victim named Toek Noeung lived in Trapang Veng village, Bor Sad district’s Phung commun. After checking the corpse, local police let the victim’s family take her body to celebrate the traditional ceremony.

Kawasaki Bulldog

Having watched Honda pretty much own the Cambodian market for years, Kawasaki recently announced the introduction of two new machines specifically tailored for today's Cambodian driver (photo after the fold).

Cambodian deminers head to Sudan

According to this photograph caption in the Sudan Tribune, Cambodian deminers are headed to Darfur.

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen walks past a demining unit, during a ceremony before the departure of the Cambodian humanitarian demining unit for the United Nation peace keeping operation in Sudan, in Phnom Penh April 12, 2006. (Reuters)