Don't Corrupt Aid

Many non-Government organisations like Amnesty International, Oxfam and Christian World Service are spearheading a new campaign called Don't Corrupt Aid. This campaign stems from recent comments from new foreign affairs minister (aka FAIL minister) Murray McCully, who, well, I'll let them explain it.

www.dontcorruptaid.org.nz is a campaign to keep New Zealand’s international aid focussed on addressing poverty.

We think aid should be spent on meeting the needs of people in developing countries, not advancing the interests of the government of the day. Aid should not be used as a political football.

This campaign results from comments made by New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully stating that New Zealand’s aid should change from ‘poverty elimination’ to a broader focus on economic development. Additionally, Mr. McCully wants New Zealand’s aid agency NZAID to lose its status as a semi-autonomous body.

The Minister has instigated two reviews into NZAID which may result in the responsibility for aid being absorbed into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Our concerns:

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  Aid will become a tool of foreign policy − the focus will shift from meeting the needs of people in developing countries to whatever suits the political agenda of the government of the day
• 
  An 'economic development' focus will lead to money going to projects in the interest of wealthy elites, ignoring the needs of the poor
• 
  The reviews are being conducted hastily, with no public consultation or parliamentary scrutiny and without advice from development experts
• 
  NZAID will lose the skills which make it a world leader in effective aid delivery
• 
  This is an unjustified reorganisation, with no evidence that it will increase aid effectiveness or deliver better value for money

Our aims:

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  To keep NZAID as a semi-autonomous agency that delivers effective aid
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  To ensure that any reviews of NZAID are open to public debate, parliamentary scrutiny and independent expert advice
• 
  To ensure that New Zealand’s aid targets the needs of poor and vulnerable people in developing countries, and is not used to reward ‘obedient’ governments.
• 
  In short: Don’t Corrupt Aid!

So folks, I know the AC is an advocate of long term economic solutions to poverty, not the 'band aid' methods like the 40-Hour Famine or child sponsorship, but the fact is, countries do need aid from governments until the long term solution is found.

And, as my auntie works for MFAT, I can safely say it has an entirely different role than an aid agency would. Their work is political, and aid needs to be neutral so it can be implemented effectively with countries that may not have stable governments (often the cause for the need of aid). Look at the situation in Fiji, for example. The New Zealand High Commissioner was removed from her post because of the hostile relationship between the Fiji and New Zealand governments. If MFAT also offered aid in Fiji, what would happen?

If you agree with the campaign then they have options for you to take action here.