The nation that cried wolf

The politics of foreign aid is more complex. Aid does not always follow where it is needed in terms of poverty etc.

ISLAMABAD: This is with reference to George Fulton’s article “Cry wolf” (August 18). I think the politics of foreign aid is slightly more complex. Aid does not always follow where it is needed in terms of poverty etc. It has some strategic objectives and we see a path dependence in Israel, in Latin America, and also in Africa. The international community also shows signs of hypocrisy. If things can be managed without spending money and by loans (see World Bank’s recent announcement) then why give grants? However, I agree that the meltdown of US and European economies has something to do with aid-shrinking.

Zubair Faisal Abbasi

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2010.