USAID IN AFRICA: 'WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING'

Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao, former African Union ambassador to the United States, lauded the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), arguing it had attempted to interfere in Africa’s progress.

In a recent interview with journalist Steve Clemson (@scclemons on X) of the Al Jazeera TV network, the former ambassador (@HEDrArikana on X) said that USAID's exit from Africa is a wake-up call for the continent. She argued that African leaders must look within to create self-reliance, reminding us of the impact of the Global North hoarding medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, forcing Africa to fend for itself.  The People's Vaccine Alliance reported that nearly 70 lower-income countries could only vaccinate 1 in 10, while rich countries comprising just 14 per cent of the world's population hoarded 53 per cent of available doses.

Furthermore, Chihombori-Quao emphasised that USAID has little to show for its extensive investments in education and healthcare across Africa. She reiterated that the agency often contributed to instability while masquerading its actions under the pretexts of environmental protection, human rights or social justice. For example, USAID has been accused of indirectly funding Boko Haram, an extremist group in Nigeria. Boko Haram's long-running insurgency in northeastern Nigeria has destabilised that region, causing nearly 40,000 fatalities in Borno state between 2011 and 2023.

Video credit: @aljazeera

Sources

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africasource/trumps-dismantling-of-usaid-offers-a-new-beginning-for-africa

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55229894

https://newscentral.africa/usaid-funded-boko-haram-other-terror-groups-us-lawmaker/

https://appliednetsci.springeropen.com/articles/10.1007/s41109-020-00264-4

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1197570/deaths-caused-by-boko-haram-in-nigeria