Oxfam Press Release – 11 October 2007
Fifteen years of conflicts have cost Africa $284bn
The cost of conflict on African development was $284bn between 1990 and 2005, according to new research by Oxfam International, IANSA [That is intenational action against small arms]and Saferworld. This is equal to the amount of money received in international aid during the same period.
The study “Africa's Missing Billions” is the first time analysts have calculated the overall effects of conflict on GDP and comes as diplomats from around the world arrive at the United Nations to discuss an Arms Trade Treaty.
It shows that on average a war, civil war or insurgency shrinks an African economy by 15 per cent. The continent loses an average of $18bn a year due to armed conflict.
I believe that it is not by accident. Money that is supposed to be development aid. is only substitue for money, which will be spend for arms, and luxury goods.
The whole article is here:
http://www.oxfam.org/en/news/2007/pr071011_control_arms_cost_conflict_africa
posted by http://wimw-Bachmann.blogspot.com at 4:03 PM
2 Comments:
Thanks for your post. I was quoting from Kaplan in this instance and yes it appears that Sierra Leone is more on track now for stability.
That said. I am going to concentrate on Africa for the rest of the MA Kings studies. It seems the most likely area of studies that may actually reward careful contemporary consideration.
I hope you are well.
Regards
James Sohn
Hi James,
thanks for the nice words. Did you know that there were elections in Togo, this week?
They were enforced by donors that had stopped paying through the nose. The elections were watched by 3000 observers. This is not where one wants to end up with...it is only a beginning. The flawes of these elections are built-in. Hopefully, more people will set conditions for future aid-checks.
I plan to concentrate on Africa as well, esp. because I live in Centrel Africa, and will do that for a while. I think this is going to be interesting studies.
cheers,
Olaf
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