Out of Africa

I was three weeks in Kenya and Uganda. Occasional flashbacks and unexplained moods tell me that psychologically I have not completely returned to Finland, yet. There was nothing really extraordinary that we encountered during the trip but, even so, the world looks a little different.

I think I started to understand some of the complexity of African politics. It was difficult to find people willing to discuss politics, though. In addition to a handful of taxi drivers, my companions were Martin Meredith's book The State of Africa. A History of Fifty Years of Independence (2005) and local newspapers.

NewAfrican magazine featured a cover story on the Chinese investments in Africa. It was an article full of praise and no criticism - except for the West. "In contrast with the big shows, the charity-business and other high profile humanitarian diplomacy promoted by the West, the United Nations, NGOs and the international financial institutions, China ensured that deeds preceded words", the article levels.

The same issue features a column by the Senegalese President Abdulaye Wade titled "The Time for the West to practice what it preaches". In language that can make you feel very uncomfortable, Wade plays the West against the Chinese, reminiscent of the way African dictators used to do with the socialist threat in the 70's and 80's. "I have found that a contract that would take five years to discuss, negotiate and sign with the World Bank takes three months when we have dealt with Chinese authorities", Wade boasts. "When bureaucracy and senseless red tape impede our ability to act and when poverty persists while international functionaries drag their feet, African leaders have an obligation to opt for swifter solutions". The message is clear. We don't want to deal with the obnoxious West with its twisted code of ethics. We'd rather do business with the Chinese who never ask questions about the state of democracy and the like.

Up to our days, thrashing red tape has equaled pocketing significant benefits for the political elite in dozens of poor African countries. After the collapse of socialism, the West was able to implement more controls over their financial support. This "bureaucracy" has now been interpreted as neo-colonialism by the likes of President Wade. The Chinese have no objections to dicatators who do not respect freedom of speech or fair elections. They just want the oil and all the other minerals Africa can produce, in order to keep the chinese economy growing. It is clearly an win-win situation for both sides.

I think there really is a lesson here for "the West". Words and deeds must go hand in hand. But the West does not have a single message or a single line of operation. Free market economics and "charity-business" do not always go hand in hand. Very often they seem to collide. Churches and NGOs preach against the same free market message our governements advertise as the solution. The Chinese, in contrast, embrace free market economics and spice it with a tight control over political power.

I did ask a number of Finnish aid-workers and missionaries their opinion on succesfull projects. They all seemed to agree that a succesfull project is something the local people can own themselves. Big projects tend to be too big for local communities. They become the white man's projects, never owned and operated properly by the local people. When financial aid ceases, the project collapses. But when projects are being initiated and owned by the locals from the beginning, they have good chance of succeeding.

All this said, I must pay my respects to the Catholic Church in Africa. Wherever you go, you will find a Catholic parish. With it, you will find religious orders working with schools, health centers, agricultural projects, etc. The parishes are always "owned" by the local community. In fact, they are local communities. All outside help is integrated within this centrally organized, global and hierarchical structure which at the same time allows the organizations to freely maintain their own identities and goals for the common good. If the Catholic Church had the courage to level some of its theological barriers, it could assume a leadership position bringing together all Christian churches in the fight against ignorance, superstition, poverty and violence. None of the Protestant church bodies - including the World Council of Churches - are up to this task. Maybe the time is ripe for something new to be born.