Aiding Ethiopia
Good news, that. As a responsible and responsive country willing and able to deliver aid to developing countries, Canada should review its commitments from time to time. And the time is most certainly right to do that with one of the third-largest recipients of Canadian foreign aid. Canada transfers $170-million annually to Ethiopia.
That funding is directed toward maternal and child health, but also toward improving Ethiopia's agricultural enterprises. With an emphasis on improving the livelihoods of thousands of poor villagers and farmers in that country. So it presents as rather paradoxical that Ethiopia has taken to expelling its farmers and migratory tribes from richly agrarian lands they have historically viewed as their own.
Vacating the land of its indigenous Ethiopian farmers and animal herders so the country can turn around and offer it for long-term rental agreements to countries like India, China and Saudi Arabia. Leasing villagers' and tribal farmers' erstwhile land to foreign companies to enable them to set up their own large agricultural operations whose produce is to be exported back to their own countries.
How this is of any benefit to Ethiopians has not been adequately addressed as a possible explanation by the government of Ethiopia. But Human Rights Watch has taken exception to the government's forced and brutal migration of 70,000 indigenous people in the country's Western Gambella region.
Ostensibly to newly-established villages where they will have access to food, farmland, health care and educational facilities. But for the fact that these amenities appear to be missing, it might present as a good idea by a caring government, anxious to provide the very best for its populations.
On the other hand, it does appear that the Ethiopian government is concerned with padding its treasury and perhaps along with it, the personal bank accounts of its lawmakers and executive administrators. And Canada sees no reason to aid and assist them in this particular endeavour.
That funding is directed toward maternal and child health, but also toward improving Ethiopia's agricultural enterprises. With an emphasis on improving the livelihoods of thousands of poor villagers and farmers in that country. So it presents as rather paradoxical that Ethiopia has taken to expelling its farmers and migratory tribes from richly agrarian lands they have historically viewed as their own.
Vacating the land of its indigenous Ethiopian farmers and animal herders so the country can turn around and offer it for long-term rental agreements to countries like India, China and Saudi Arabia. Leasing villagers' and tribal farmers' erstwhile land to foreign companies to enable them to set up their own large agricultural operations whose produce is to be exported back to their own countries.
How this is of any benefit to Ethiopians has not been adequately addressed as a possible explanation by the government of Ethiopia. But Human Rights Watch has taken exception to the government's forced and brutal migration of 70,000 indigenous people in the country's Western Gambella region.
Ostensibly to newly-established villages where they will have access to food, farmland, health care and educational facilities. But for the fact that these amenities appear to be missing, it might present as a good idea by a caring government, anxious to provide the very best for its populations.
On the other hand, it does appear that the Ethiopian government is concerned with padding its treasury and perhaps along with it, the personal bank accounts of its lawmakers and executive administrators. And Canada sees no reason to aid and assist them in this particular endeavour.
Labels: Africa, Agriculture, Charity, Crisis Politics, Government of Canada
posted by Pieface | 7:54 PM
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