Els de Timmerman, a Belgian, is currently an editor of a Ugandan newspaper (which is odd as both her English and her knowledge of Africa is very poor). She was awarded this position by President Museveni because of her work with child soldiers (for which she is indeed an expert).

I recently spoke to Ms de Timmerman who told me that she had been disgusted with the corruption in Gulu (NGO capital for saving and rehabilitating child soldiers and victims of the Lord’s Resistance Army). The war has been going on for almost 30 years and only Africa can stop it. Our interference does no good whatsoever. In Gulu I noticed that only nuns and their hands-on help was aiding the victims recreate a life for themselves. The other NGOs were helping themselves as well as filling the pockets key Ugandan official like Jim Muwhezi.

Uganda is a terribly corrupt nation and I feel that we only encourage them to be so. We must stop interfering! The question is therefore why does the west insist on pumping in money? Is it because we have too much of it? Well, that is certainly no longer the case now, is it?

I leave you with the words of the Kenyan economics expert James Shikwati

“The countries that have collected the most development aid are also the ones that are in the worst shape. Despite the billions that have poured in to Africa, the continent remains poor.”

“Huge bureaucracies are financed (with aid money), corruption and complacency are promoted, Africans are taught to be beggars and not to be independent. In addition, development aid weakens the local markets everywhere and dampens the spirit of entrepreneurship that we so desperately need. As absurd as it may sound: Development aid is one of the reasons for Africa's problems. If the West were to cancel these payments, normal Africans wouldn't even notice. Only the functionaries would be hard hit. Which is why they maintain that the world would stop turning without this development aid. “

“If they really want to fight poverty, they should completely halt development aid and give Africa the opportunity to ensure its own survival. Currently, Africa is like a child that immediately cries for its babysitter when something goes wrong. Africa should stand on its own two feet. “

“Trade, not Aid” is the answer. And as usual the EU is ahead!

TRADE RELATIONS (ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT)

The European Commission and East African Community Partner States (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) concluded in November 2007 a framework agreement allowing duty free and quota free access to the EU for goods exported by EAC States. This was a historic event – the first trade agreement concluded by the European Union with another customs union.

In order to ensure that the agreement complies with both Parties' commitments in the World Trade Organization, the EAC States will also gradually open their markets to goods from the European Union over a period of 25 years. After 15 years, 80% of the exports from the EU will enter the EAC market free of duties. This covers mainly industrial inputs and capital goods. About one fifth of EAC trade will be completely excluded from any market liberalisation requirements.

The agreement is a first step towards a full Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which will establish a strategic trade and development partnership with the objective of promoting regional integration and also the integration of the EAC in the global economy.