Mismanagement, Small and Large

The argument against giving African aid based on corruption has focused largely on large amounts of money lost to corruption during a span of decades. The National Post's numbers are $148 billion yearly spread over a continent...and up to $6 billion over a five-year period by dictators such as Sani Abacha, who presided over the largest country in Africa.

But before that's taken as reason to condemn Africa, compare to the amount of money frittered away by the occupation in Iraq. According to an audit cited in the Guardian, Paul Bremer managed to lose $8.8 billion worth of government funds alone in eight months:

The auditors have so far referred more than a hundred contracts, involving billions of dollars paid to American personnel and corporations, for investigation and possible criminal prosecution. They have also discovered that $8.8bn that passed through the new Iraqi government ministries in Baghdad while Bremer was in charge is unaccounted for, with little prospect of finding out where it has gone. A further $3.4bn appropriated by Congress for Iraqi development has since been siphoned off to finance "security".

Never mind that a "corruption estimate" would undoubtedly involve much more money in graft and patronage. And keep in mind how little actual reconstruction has happened since the U.S. took over despite that money: less electricity this year than last, maternal mortality is on the rise...in fact, the priorities are so messed up that one Iraqi journalist had to ask Bush when the reconstruction was going to begin, with the sole answer being that "money is being spent". Which as far as Iraqis can tell, is only helping the Green Zone rather than the rest of the country.

In sum: nobody should be backing any involvement in Iraq while claiming that Africa is too corrupt and poorly-managed to receive aid.