TEDGlobal 2007
Andrew Mwenda: Aid for Africa? No thanks.
Andrew Mwenda priveste Africa cu alti ochi
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Readability: 4.9
1,210,423 views
In acest discurs provocator, jurnalistul Andrew Mwenda ne incita sa reincadram "problema africana". -- sa privim dincolo de povestile mass-mediei despre saracie, razboi civil si neajutorare si sa vedem oportunitatile de a crea bogatie si fericire pe tot intinsul continentului.
Andrew Mwenda - Journalist
Journalist Andrew Mwenda has spent his career fighting for free speech and economic empowerment throughout Africa. He argues that aid makes objects of the poor -- they become passive recipients of charity rather than active participants in their own economic betterment. Full bio
Journalist Andrew Mwenda has spent his career fighting for free speech and economic empowerment throughout Africa. He argues that aid makes objects of the poor -- they become passive recipients of charity rather than active participants in their own economic betterment. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:26
I am very, very happy to be amidst some of the most --
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Sunt foarte fericit sa ma gasesc intre unii dintre cei mai --
00:30
the lights are really disturbing my eyes
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luminile imi deranjeaza ochii
00:32
and they're reflecting on my glasses.
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si mi se reflecta in ochelari.
00:34
I am very happy and honored to be amidst
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Sunt foarte fericit si onorat sa ma aflu intre
00:38
very, very innovative and intelligent people.
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oameni foarte foarte inovatori si inteligenti.
00:41
I have listened to the three previous speakers,
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I-am ascultat pe cei trei vorbitori dinaintea mea
00:44
and guess what happened?
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si ce credeti ca s-a intamplat?
00:46
Every single thing I planned to say, they have said it here,
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Fiecare lucru pe care planuisem sa il zic, l-au zis ei aici
00:49
and it looks and sounds like I have nothing else to say.
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si se pare ca nu mai am nimic de zis.
00:54
(Laughter)
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(Rasete)
00:55
But there is a saying in my culture
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Dar exista o zicala in cultura mea
00:58
that if a bud leaves a tree without saying something,
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aceea ca daca un boboc paraseste un copac fara a zice nimic,
01:03
that bud is a young one.
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atunci acel boboc este unul tanar.
01:06
So, I will -- since I am not young and am very old,
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Asa ca voi -- din moment ce nu sunt tanar si sunt foarte batran --
01:11
I still will say something.
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voi spune totusi ceva.
01:13
We are hosting this conference at a very opportune moment,
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Gazduim aceasta conferinta intr-un moment foarte oportun
01:18
because another conference is taking place in Berlin.
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deoarece o alta conferinta are loc in Berlin.
01:20
It is the G8 Summit.
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Este vorba de Summit-ul G8.
01:23
The G8 Summit proposes that the solution to Africa's problems
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Summit-ul G8 propune ca solutia la problemele Africii
01:30
should be a massive increase in aid,
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ar trebui sa fie o crestere masiva a ajutorului,
01:33
something akin to the Marshall Plan.
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ceva de genul planului Marshall.
01:35
Unfortunately, I personally do not believe in the Marshall Plan.
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Din pacate, eu personal nu cred in planul Marshall.
01:39
One, because the benefits of the Marshall Plan have been overstated.
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Unu, pentru ca beneficiile planului Marshall au fost supraestimate.
01:44
Its largest recipients were Germany and France,
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Cei mai mari beneficiari ai sai au fost Germania si Franta,
01:47
and it was only 2.5 percent of their GDP.
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si a fost doar 2,5 la suta din PIB-ul lor.
01:50
An average African country receives foreign aid
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O tara africana medie primeste ajutor strain
01:53
to the tune of 13, 15 percent of its GDP,
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in valoare de aproximativ 13, 15 % din PIB-ul sau,
01:59
and that is an unprecedented transfer of financial resources
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iar acest fapt reprezinta un transfer de resurse financiare fara precedent
02:02
from rich countries to poor countries.
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din partea tarilor bogate catre cele sarace.
02:05
But I want to say that there are two things we need to connect.
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Dar vreau sa spun ca exista doua lucruri intre care trebuie sa facem legatura.
02:08
How the media covers Africa in the West, and the consequences of that.
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Felul in care media reflecta Africa de vest si consecintele acestui fapt.
02:14
By displaying despair, helplessness and hopelessness,
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Aratand disperare, neajutorare si lipsa sperantei,
02:17
the media is telling the truth about Africa, and nothing but the truth.
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media spune adevarul si numai adevarul despre Africa.
02:23
However, the media is not telling us the whole truth.
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Cu toate acestea, media nu ne spune tot adevarul.
02:27
Because despair, civil war, hunger and famine,
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Deoarece disperarea, razboiul civil, foamea si foametea,
02:31
although they're part and parcel of our African reality,
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cu toate ca sunt parte integranta din realitatea noastra africana,
02:35
they are not the only reality.
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nu sunt singura realitate.
02:37
And secondly, they are the smallest reality.
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Si apoi, ele reprezinta acea realitate mai mica.
02:39
Africa has 53 nations.
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Africa are 53 de natiuni.
02:41
We have civil wars only in six countries,
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Avem razboi civil doar in 6 tari,
02:44
which means that the media are covering only six countries.
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ceea ce inseamna ca media reflecta doar 6 tari.
02:48
Africa has immense opportunities that never navigate
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Africa are oportunitati imense care nu trec niciodata
02:52
through the web of despair and helplessness
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prin reteaua disperarii si neajutorarii
02:54
that the Western media largely presents to its audience.
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pe care media vestica o prezinta pe scara larga audientei sale.
02:59
But the effect of that presentation is, it appeals to sympathy.
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Dar efectul acelei prezentari este acela ca apeleaza la compatimire.
03:03
It appeals to pity. It appeals to something called charity.
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Apeleaza la mila; apeleaza la ceva numit caritate.
03:08
And, as a consequence, the Western view
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Si ca o consecinta, viziunea vestica
03:11
of Africa's economic dilemma is framed wrongly.
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a dilemei economice a Africii este incadrata gresit.
03:16
The wrong framing is a product of thinking
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Incadrarea gresita este un produs al gindirii
03:20
that Africa is a place of despair.
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ca Africa este un loc al disperarii.
03:23
What should we do with it? We should give food to the hungry.
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Ce ar trebui sa facem cu ea? Ar trebui sa dam mancare infometatilor.
03:26
We should deliver medicines to those who are ill.
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Ar trebui sa distribuim medicamente celor bolnavi.
03:29
We should send peacekeeping troops
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Ar trebui sa trimitem trupe de mentinere a pacii
03:31
to serve those who are facing a civil war.
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pentru a-i servi pe cei care se confrunta cu un razboi civil.
03:33
And in the process, Africa has been stripped of self-initiative.
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Si in cadrul acestui proces Africii i s-a rapit propria initiativa.
03:38
I want to say that it is important to recognize
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Vreau sa spun ca este important sa recunoastem
03:41
that Africa has fundamental weaknesses.
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ca Africa are slabiciuni fundamentale.
03:44
But equally, it has opportunities and a lot of potential.
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Dar ca in mod egal, are oportunitati si mult potential.
03:48
We need to reframe the challenge that is facing Africa,
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Trebuie sa reincadram provocarea care priveste Africa
03:52
from a challenge of despair,
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dintr-o provocare a disperarii,
03:54
which is called poverty reduction,
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disperare care se numeste reducerea saraciei,
03:58
to a challenge of hope.
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intr-una a sperantei.
04:00
We frame it as a challenge of hope, and that is worth creation.
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O incadram drept o provocare a sperantei, adica a crearii bogatiei.
04:04
The challenge facing all those who are interested in Africa
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Provocarea cu care se confrunta toti cei interesati de Africa
04:07
is not the challenge of reducing poverty.
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nu este provocarea de a reduce saracia.
04:09
It should be a challenge of creating wealth.
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Ar trebui sa fie provocarea de a crea bogatia.
04:12
Once we change those two things --
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Odata ce schimbam aceste doua lucruri --
04:15
if you say the Africans are poor and they need poverty reduction,
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daca spui ca africanii sunt saraci si au nevoie de reducerea saraciei,
04:20
you have the international cartel of good intentions
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asociatiile internationale ale bunelor intentii
04:24
moving onto the continent, with what?
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se muta pe continent, dar cu ce?
04:27
Medicines for the poor, food relief for those who are hungry,
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Medicamente pentru saraci, mancare pentru infometati
04:30
and peacekeepers for those who are facing civil war.
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si trupe de mentinere a pacii pentru cei care se confrunta cu razboiul civil.
04:35
And in the process, none of these things really are productive
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Si in realitate niciunul dintre aceste lucruri nu este cu adevarat productiv
04:39
because you are treating the symptoms, not the causes
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deoarece trateaza simptomele si nu cauzele
04:41
of Africa's fundamental problems.
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problemelor fundamentale ale Africii.
04:44
Sending somebody to school and giving them medicines,
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Trimiterea cuiva la scoala si dandu-i medicamente,
04:47
ladies and gentlemen, does not create wealth for them.
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doamnelor si domnilor, nu ii creeaza bogatie.
04:52
Wealth is a function of income, and income comes from you finding
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Bogatia este o functie a venitului, iar venitul vine din gasirea
04:56
a profitable trading opportunity or a well-paying job.
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unei oportunitati profitabile sau a unei slujbe bine platite.
05:00
Now, once we begin to talk about wealth creation in Africa,
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Acum, din moment ce vom incepe sa vorbim despre crearea bogatiei in Africa,
05:03
our second challenge will be,
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a doua noastra provocare va fi,
05:05
who are the wealth-creating agents in any society?
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care sunt agentii care creaza bogatie intr-o societate?
05:08
They are entrepreneurs. [Unclear] told us they are always
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Sunt intreprinzatorii. [Neclar] ne-a spus ca ei reprezinta intotdeauna
05:12
about four percent of the population, but 16 percent are imitators.
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cam 4% din populatie, dar 16% sunt imitatori.
05:16
But they also succeed at the job of entrepreneurship.
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Dar si ei reusesc in ocupatia de intreprinzator.
05:21
So, where should we be putting the money?
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Deci unde ar trebui sa punem banii?
05:24
We need to put money where it can productively grow.
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Trebuie sa punem banii unde pot creste in mod productiv.
05:29
Support private investment in Africa, both domestic and foreign.
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Sprijiniti investitiile private in Africa, atat cele domestice cat si cele straine.
05:33
Support research institutions,
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Sprijiniti institutiile de cercetare,
05:36
because knowledge is an important part of wealth creation.
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deoarece cunoasterea este o parte importanta a crearii bogatiei.
05:40
But what is the international aid community doing with Africa today?
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Dar ce face comunitatea internationala cu Africa azi?
05:44
They are throwing large sums of money for primary health,
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Arunca mari sume de bani pentru sanatatea primara,
05:47
for primary education, for food relief.
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pentru educatia primara, pentru ajutor de hrana.
05:50
The entire continent has been turned into
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Intregul continent a fost transformat intr-un
05:52
a place of despair, in need of charity.
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loc al disperarii, al nevoii de caritate.
05:55
Ladies and gentlemen, can any one of you tell me
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Doamnelor si domnilor, imi poate arata vreunul dintre Dvs.
05:57
a neighbor, a friend, a relative that you know,
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un vecin, un prieten, o ruda de-a Dvs.,
06:00
who became rich by receiving charity?
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care s-a imbogatit primind caritate?
06:04
By holding the begging bowl and receiving alms?
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Tinand mana intinsa si primind pomana?
06:07
Does any one of you in the audience have that person?
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Cunoaste vreunul dintre Dvs. o astfel de persoana?
06:10
Does any one of you know a country that developed because of
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Stie careva dintre Dvs. o tara care s-a dezvoltat datorita
06:15
the generosity and kindness of another?
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generozitatii si bunavointei alteia?
06:18
Well, since I'm not seeing the hand,
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Ei bine, din moment ce nu vad acea mana ridicata,
06:20
it appears that what I'm stating is true.
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se pare ca ceea ce zic este adevarat.
06:23
(Bono: Yes!)
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Bono: Da!
06:25
Andrew Mwenda: I can see Bono says he knows the country.
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Andrew Mwenda: vad ca Bono spune ca stie o astfel de tara.
06:27
Which country is that?
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Care este acea tara?
06:28
(Bono: It's an Irish land.)
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Bono: e un nume irlandez.
06:29
(Laughter)
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(Rasete)
06:31
(Bono: [unclear])
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Bono: [neclar]
06:33
AM: Thank you very much. But let me tell you this.
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Multumesc foarte mult. Dar vreau sa va spun asta.
06:37
External actors can only present to you an opportunity.
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Actorii externi pot doar sa iti prezinte o oportunitate.
06:41
The ability to utilize that opportunity and turn it into an advantage
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Abilitatea de a utiliza acea oportunitate si de a o transforma in avantaj
06:46
depends on your internal capacity.
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depinde de capacitatea ta interna.
06:48
Africa has received many opportunities.
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Africa a primit multe oportunitati,
06:50
Many of them we haven't benefited much.
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de multe dintre ele nu am profitat foarte mult.
06:53
Why? Because we lack the internal, institutional framework
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De ce? Deoarece ne lipseste cadrul institutional intern
06:58
and policy framework that can make it possible for us
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si cadrul politic ce poate face posibil ca noi
07:01
to benefit from our external relations. I'll give you an example.
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sa beneficiem de relatiile noastre externe. Va voi da un exemplu.
07:04
Under the Cotonou Agreement,
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In cadrul Pactului Cotonou,
07:06
formerly known as the Lome Convention,
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cunoscut in trecut sub numele de Conventia Lome,
07:09
African countries have been given an opportunity by Europe
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Europa a dat tarilor africane oportunitatea
07:12
to export goods, duty-free, to the European Union market.
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de a exporta produse, fara taxe, pe piata europeana.
07:17
My own country, Uganda, has a quota to export 50,000 metric tons
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Tara mea, Uganda, are o cota de export de 50.000 de tone metrice
07:23
of sugar to the European Union market.
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de zahar pe piata Uniunii Europene.
07:26
We haven't exported one kilogram yet.
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Nu am exportat inca nici un kilogram.
07:28
We import 50,000 metric tons of sugar from Brazil and Cuba.
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Importam 50.000 de tone metrice din Brazilia si Cuba.
07:37
Secondly, under the beef protocol of that agreement,
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In al doilea rand, in cadrul protocolului despre carnea de vita,
07:40
African countries that produce beef
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tarile africane care produc carne de vita
07:42
have quotas to export beef duty-free to the European Union market.
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au cote de export a carnii de vita, fara taxe, pe piata Uniunii Europene.
07:47
None of those countries, including Africa's most successful nation, Botswana,
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Nici una dintre aceste tari, inclusiv cea mai de succes natiune a Africii, Botswana,
07:51
has ever met its quota.
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nu a indeplinit cota vreodata.
07:54
So, I want to argue today that the fundamental source of Africa's
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Deci ceea ce vreau sa argumentez astazi este ca sursa
07:59
inability to engage the rest of the world
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incapacitatii Africii de a antrena restul lumii
08:01
in a more productive relationship
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intr-o relatie mai productiva
08:04
is because it has a poor institutional and policy framework.
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este un cadru institutional si politic insuficient.
08:08
And all forms of intervention need support,
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Si toate formele de interventie au nevoie de ajutor,
08:11
the evolution of the kinds of institutions that create wealth,
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evolutia tipurilor de institutii care creeaza bogatie,
08:15
the kinds of institutions that increase productivity.
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tipurile de institutii care creeaza productivitate.
08:18
How do we begin to do that, and why is aid the bad instrument?
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Cum incepem sa facem asta si de ce este ajutorul un instrument prost?
08:22
Aid is the bad instrument, and do you know why?
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Ajutorul este un instrument prost si stiti de ce?
08:24
Because all governments across the world need money to survive.
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Pentru ca toate guvernele lumii au nevoie de bani pentru a supravietui.
08:28
Money is needed for a simple thing like keeping law and order.
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E nevoie de bani pentru a mentine un lucru simplu cum ar fi legea si ordinea.
08:32
You have to pay the army and the police to show law and order.
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Trebuie sa platesti armata si politia pentru a intretine legea si ordinea.
08:34
And because many of our governments are quite dictatorial,
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Si deoarece multe dintre guvernele noastre sunt dictatoriale,
08:38
they need really to have the army clobber the opposition.
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au nevoie ca armata sa innabuse opozitia.
08:42
The second thing you need to do is pay your political hangers-on.
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Al doilea lucru pe care trebuie sa-l faci este sa-ti platesti asociatii politici.
08:47
Why should people support their government?
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De ce ar trebui ca oamenii sa-si sprijine guvernul?
08:48
Well, because it gives them good, paying jobs,
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Ei bine, pentru ca acesta le da locuri de munca bine platite.
08:50
or, in many African countries, unofficial opportunities
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Sau, in multe tari africane, oportunitati neoficiale
08:54
to profit from corruption.
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de a profita de pe urma coruptiei.
08:56
The fact is no government in the world,
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Ideea este ca, nici un guvern din lume,
08:59
with the exception of a few, like that of Idi Amin,
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cu exceptia catorva ca cel al lui Idi Amin,
09:01
can seek to depend entirely on force as an instrument of rule.
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poate cauta sa depinda in intregime de forta pentru a conduce.
09:06
Many countries in the [unclear], they need legitimacy.
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Multe tari din [neclar], au nevoie de legitimitate.
09:09
To get legitimacy, governments often need to deliver things like primary education,
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Pentru a obtine legitimitate, guvernele trebuie adeseori sa puna la dispozitie lucruri cum ar fi educatia primara,
09:15
primary health, roads, build hospitals and clinics.
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sistemul de sanatate primar, drumuri, construirea spitalelor si clinicilor.
09:20
If the government's fiscal survival
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Daca supravietuirea fiscala a guvernului
09:22
depends on it having to raise money from its own people,
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depinde de strangerea banilor de la propria populatie,
09:26
such a government is driven by self-interest
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un astfel de guvern va fi interesat
09:28
to govern in a more enlightened fashion.
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sa guverneze intr-un mod mai luminat.
09:30
It will sit with those who create wealth.
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Se va insoti cu cei care creeaza bogatie.
09:33
Talk to them about the kind of policies and institutions
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Va vorbi cu ei despre politicile si institutiile
09:36
that are necessary for them to expand a scale and scope of business
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necesare pentru ca ei sa-si dezvolte marimea si scopul afacerilor
09:40
so that it can collect more tax revenues from them.
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astfel incat sa colecteze taxe mai multe de la ei.
09:43
The problem with the African continent
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Problema continentului african
09:45
and the problem with the aid industry
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si problema industriei intr-ajutorarii
09:46
is that it has distorted the structure of incentives
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este aceea ca a distorsionat structura stimularii
09:49
facing the governments in Africa.
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cu care se confrunta guvernele din Africa.
09:52
The productive margin in our governments' search for revenue
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Marja productivitatii din cadrul cautarii de fonduri specifica guvernelor noastre
09:55
does not lie in the domestic economy,
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nu se afla in cadrul economiei interne,
09:58
it lies with international donors.
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ci se afla in relatiile cu donatorii internationali.
10:00
Rather than sit with Ugandan --
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Decat sa se asocieze cu oamenii de afaceri din Uganda --
10:02
(Applause) --
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(Aplauze)
10:06
rather than sit with Ugandan entrepreneurs,
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decat sa se asocieze cu antreprenorii din Uganda,
10:09
Ghanaian businessmen, South African enterprising leaders,
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sau Ghana sau leader-ii afacerilor din Africa de Sud,
10:15
our governments find it more productive
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guvernele noastre gasesc ca este mai productiv
10:18
to talk to the IMF and the World Bank.
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sa discute cu FMI si Banca Mondiala.
10:21
I can tell you, even if you have ten Ph.Ds.,
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Va pot spune, chiar daca aveti 10 doctorate,
10:25
you can never beat Bill Gates in understanding the computer industry.
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nu veti putea niciodata sa-l intreceti pe Bill Gates in intelegerea industriei computerelor.
10:30
Why? Because the knowledge that is required for you to understand
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De ce? Deoarece cunoasterea care ve este necesara sa intelegeti
10:34
the incentives necessary to expand a business --
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stimulentele necesare extinderii unei afaceri,
10:36
it requires that you listen to the people, the private sector actors in that industry.
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necesita ascultarea oamenilor, a sectorului privat in aceasta industrie.
10:42
Governments in Africa have therefore been given an opportunity,
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Guvernelor din Africa le-a fost data o oportunitate
10:45
by the international community, to avoid building
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de catre comunitatea internationala de a evita dezvoltarea
10:48
productive arrangements with your own citizens,
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unor intelegeri productive cu proprii lor cetateni,
10:50
and therefore allowed to begin endless negotiations with the IMF
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si astfel le-a fost ingaduit sa inceapa negocieri nesfarsite cu FMI
10:56
and the World Bank, and then it is the IMF and the World Bank
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si Banca Mondiala si astfel devin FMI si Banca Mondiala
10:59
that tell them what its citizens need.
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cei care le spun guvernelor ce nevoi au cetatenii lor.
11:01
In the process, we, the African people, have been sidelined
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In cadrul acestui proces noi, poporul african, am fost dati la o parte
11:05
from the policy-making, policy-orientation, and policy-
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din procesul crearii politicii, orientarii politicii si implementarii
11:09
implementation process in our countries.
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politicii din propriile noastre tari.
11:11
We have limited input, because he who pays the piper calls the tune.
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Avem un aport limitat, deoarece cel care il plateste pe muzician comanda melodia.
11:15
The IMF, the World Bank, and the cartel of good intentions in the world
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FMI, Banca Mondiala si cartelul bunelor intentii ale lumii
11:19
has taken over our rights as citizens,
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ne-au preluat drepturile de cetateni,
11:22
and therefore what our governments are doing, because they depend on aid,
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si astfel, guvernele noastre, deoarece depind de ajutor,
11:25
is to listen to international creditors rather than their own citizens.
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nu fac decat sa asculte de cativa creditori internationali in detrimentul propriilor cetateni.
11:29
But I want to put a caveat on my argument,
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Dar vreau sa fac o observatie vis-a-vis de argumentatia mea,
11:31
and that caveat is that it is not true that aid is always destructive.
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aceea ca nu este adevarat faptul ca ajutorul este intotdeauna distructiv.
11:39
Some aid may have built a hospital, fed a hungry village.
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Unele ajutoare se poate sa fi construit un spital, hranit un sat infometat.
11:46
It may have built a road, and that road
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Au construit un drum, iar acel drum
11:48
may have served a very good role.
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sa fi avut un rol bun.
11:50
The mistake of the international aid industry
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Greseala industriei internationale de ajutorare
11:52
is to pick these isolated incidents of success,
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este de a alege aceste incidente izolate de succes,
11:56
generalize them, pour billions and trillions of dollars into them,
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de a le generaliza, de a turna miliarde si trilioane de dolari in ele,
12:01
and then spread them across the whole world,
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pentru ca apoi sa le imprastie in toata lumea,
12:03
ignoring the specific and unique circumstances in a given village,
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ignorand circumstantele specifice si unice dintr-un anume sat,
12:08
the skills, the practices, the norms and habits
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abilitatile, indeletnicirile, normele si obiceiurile
12:11
that allowed that small aid project to succeed --
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care au permis acelui ajutor minor sa reuseasca --
12:14
like in Sauri village, in Kenya, where Jeffrey Sachs is working --
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cum ar fi satul Sauri din Kenya unde lucreaza Jeffrey Sachs --
12:17
and therefore generalize this experience
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si sa generalizeze aceasta experienta
12:20
as the experience of everybody.
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drept experienta tuturor.
12:23
Aid increases the resources available to governments,
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Ajutorul creste resursele disponibile guvernelor,
12:28
and that makes working in a government the most profitable thing
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iar asta face ca serviciul in cadrul unui guvern sa fie cel mai profitabil lucru
12:32
you can have, as a person in Africa seeking a career.
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care iti sta la dispozitie daca esti o persoana ce cauta sa-si faca o cariera in Africa.
12:35
By increasing the political attractiveness of the state,
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Crescand atractivitatea politica a statului,
12:39
especially in our ethnically fragmented societies in Africa,
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indeosebi in cadrul societatii noastre africane fragmentate etnic,
12:43
aid tends to accentuate ethnic tensions
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ajutorul tinde sa accentueze tensiunile etnice
12:46
as every single ethnic group now begins struggling to enter the state
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pe masura ce fiecare grup etnic se chinuie acum sa intre in structura statului
12:52
in order to get access to the foreign aid pie.
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pentru a obtine acces la placinta ajutorului extern.
12:55
Ladies and gentlemen, the most enterprising people in Africa
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Doamnelor si domnilor, cei mai intreprinzatori oameni din Africa
13:00
cannot find opportunities to trade and to work in the private sector
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nu pot gasi oportunitati de a face comert si de a munci in sectorul privat
13:05
because the institutional and policy environment is hostile to business.
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deoarece mediul institutional si politic este ostil afacerilor.
13:08
Governments are not changing it. Why?
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Guvernele nu il schimba. Dc ce?
13:10
Because they don't need to talk to their own citizens.
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Deoarece nu trebuie sa vorbeasca propriilor cetateni.
13:15
They talk to international donors.
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Vorbesc donatorilor internationali.
13:17
So, the most enterprising Africans end up going to work for government,
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Astfel, cei mai intreprinzatori africani merg sa lucreze pentru guvern
13:22
and that has increased the political tensions in our countries
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si asta creste tensiunile politice in tarile noastre
13:25
precisely because we depend on aid.
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tocmai pentru ca depindem de ajutor.
13:28
I also want to say that it is important for us to
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De asemenea vreau sa spun ca este important pentru noi sa
13:32
note that, over the last 50 years, Africa has been receiving increasing aid
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luam in considerare faptul ca in ultimii 50 de ani Africa a primit ajutor
13:36
from the international community,
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din partea comunitatii internationale
13:38
in the form of technical assistance, and financial aid,
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sub forma asistentei tehnice si ajutorului financiar
13:41
and all other forms of aid.
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precum si a altor forme de ajutor.
13:43
Between 1960 and 2003, our continent received 600 billion dollars of aid,
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Intre 1960 si 2003 continentul nostru a primit 600 miliarde de dolari ajutor
13:53
and we are still told that there is a lot of poverty in Africa.
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si inca ni se spune ca exista multa saracie in Africa.
13:56
Where has all the aid gone?
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Unde este ajutorul primit?
13:59
I want to use the example of my own country, called Uganda,
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Vreau sa ma folosesc de exemplul propriei mele tari numita Uganda
14:03
and the kind of structure of incentives that aid has brought there.
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si de tipurile de structuri stimulative pe care ajutorul le-a adus acolo.
14:08
In the 2006-2007 budget, expected revenue: 2.5 trillion shillings.
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In bugetul din 2006-2007, venitul asteptat a fost de 2,5 trilioane de silingi.
14:14
The expected foreign aid: 1.9 trillion.
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Ajutorul extern asteptat: 1,9 trilioane.
14:17
Uganda's recurrent expenditure -- by recurrent what do I mean?
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Cheltuielile recurente ale Ugandei -- prin recurente ce vreau sa spun?
14:21
Hand-to-mouth is 2.6 trillion.
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De azi pe miine -- este de 2,6 trilioane
14:25
Why does the government of Uganda budget spend 110 percent
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De ce cheltuie guvernul Ugandei 110%
14:30
of its own revenue?
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din propriile venituri?
14:31
It's because there's somebody there called foreign aid, who contributes for it.
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Deoarece exista ceva acolo numit ajutor strain care contribuie la asta.
14:36
But this shows you that the government of Uganda
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Dar asta arata ca guvernul Ugandei
14:38
is not committed to spending its own revenue
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nu este interesat de cheltuirea propriului venit
14:42
to invest in productive investments,
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pentru investitii productive
14:44
but rather it devotes this revenue
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ci isi aloca veniturile
14:46
to paying structure of public expenditure.
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spre a plati structurile de cheltuieli publice.
14:50
Public administration, which is largely patronage, takes 690 billion.
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Administratia publica, ce este majoritar alcatuita din patronate, ia 690 miliarde.
14:55
The military, 380 billion.
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Armata, 380 miliarde.
14:57
Agriculture, which employs 18 percent of our poverty-stricken citizens,
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Agricultura, care angajeaza 18% din cetatenii nostri loviti de saracie,
15:02
takes only 18 billion.
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ia doar 18 miliarde.
15:05
Trade and industry takes 43 billion.
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Comertul si industria iau 43 miliarde.
15:09
And let me show you, what does public expenditure --
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Si lasati-ma sa va arat ce reprezinta cheltuiala publica --
15:13
rather, public administration expenditure -- in Uganda constitute?
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mai degraba cheltuiala cu administratia publica -- in Uganda?
15:17
There you go. 70 cabinet ministers, 114 presidential advisers,
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Iata. 70 de cabinete ministeriale, 114 consilieri prezidentiali --
15:23
by the way, who never see the president, except on television.
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care, a-propos, nu-l vad nicioadata pe presedinte, decat la TV.
15:26
(Laughter)
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(Rasete)
15:29
(Applause)
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(Aplauze)
15:34
And when they see him physically, it is at public functions like this,
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Iar atunci cand il vad fizic, il vad la sedinte publice ca aceasta,
15:39
and even there, it is him who advises them.
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si chiar si acolo, este el cel care ii consiliaza pe ei.
15:43
(Laughter)
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(Rasete)
15:45
We have 81 units of local government.
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Avem 81 unitati ale guvernului local;
15:48
Each local government is organized like the central government --
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fiecare guvern local este organizat ca cel central --
15:50
a bureaucracy, a cabinet, a parliament,
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o birocratie, un cabinet, un parlament,
15:52
and so many jobs for the political hangers-on.
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si atat de multe job-uri pentru parazitii politici.
15:55
There were 56, and when our president wanted to
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Erau 56 de unitati, iar cand presedintele nostru a vrut
15:58
amend the constitution and remove term limits,
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sa schimbe constitutia si sa inlature termenele scadentelor,
16:01
he had to create 25 new districts, and now there are 81.
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a trebuit sa creeze 25 noi districte si acum sunt 81.
16:05
Three hundred thirty-three members of parliament.
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333 membri ai parlamentului.
16:07
You need Wembley Stadium to host our parliament.
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Ai nevoie de stadionul Wembley pentru a gazdui parlamentul nostru.
16:09
One hundred thirty-four commissions
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134 comisii
16:11
and semi-autonomous government bodies,
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si corpuri de guvern semi-autonome,
16:16
all of which have directors and the cars. And the final thing,
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toate au directori si masini si -- un ultim lucru,
16:20
this is addressed to Mr. Bono. In his work, he may help us on this.
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acesta se adreseaza D-lui Bono. In munca sa s-ar putea sa ne ajute la asta.
16:24
A recent government of Uganda study found
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Un studiu recent al guvernului ugandez a relevat faptul ca
16:26
that there are 3,000 four-wheel drive motor vehicles
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exista 3.000 de vehicule cu actionare pe 4 roti
16:30
at the Minister of Health headquarters.
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la centrul Ministerului Sanatatii.
16:32
Uganda has 961 sub-counties, each of them with a dispensary,
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Uganda are 961 subcomitate, fiecare avand un dispensar,
16:37
none of which has an ambulance.
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niciunul care sa aiba o ambulanta.
16:39
So, the four-wheel drive vehicles at the headquarters
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Deci vehiculele de la centru
16:42
drive the ministers, the permanent secretaries, the bureaucrats
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transporta ministrii, secretarii permanenti, birocratii
16:45
and the international aid bureaucrats who work in aid projects,
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si birocratii ajutorului international care lucreaza in proiecte de ajutor
16:48
while the poor die without ambulances and medicine.
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in timp ce saracii mor fara ambulanta si medicamente.
16:54
Finally, I want to say that before I came to speak here,
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In sfarsit, vreau sa spun ca inainte de a veni sa vorbesc aici,
16:58
I was told that the principle of TEDGlobal
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mi s-a spus ca principiul TEDGlobal este acela
17:02
is that the good speech should be like a miniskirt.
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ca un discurs bun ar trebui sa fie ca o fusta mini --
17:05
It should be short enough to arouse interest,
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ar trebui sa fie indeajuns de scurt sa trezeasca interesul,
17:07
but long enough to cover the subject.
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dar indeajuns de lung sa acopere subiectul.
17:09
I hope I have achieved that.
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Sper ca am reusit asta.
17:10
(Laughter)
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(Rasete)
17:11
Thank you very much.
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Va multumesc foarte mult.
17:12
(Applause)
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(Aplauze)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Andrew Mwenda - JournalistJournalist Andrew Mwenda has spent his career fighting for free speech and economic empowerment throughout Africa. He argues that aid makes objects of the poor -- they become passive recipients of charity rather than active participants in their own economic betterment.
Why you should listen
Andrew Mwenda is a print, radio and television journalist, and an active critic of many forms of Western aid to Africa. Too much of the aid from rich nations, he says, goes to the worst African countries to fuel war and government abuse. Such money not only never gets to its intended recipients, Africa's truly needy -- it actively plays a part in making their lives worse.
Mwenda worked at the Daily Monitor newspaper in Kampala starting in the mid-1990s, and hosted a radio show, Andrew Mwenda Live, since 2001; in 2005, he was charged with sedition by the Ugandan government for criticizing the president of Uganda on his radio show, in the wake of the helicopter crash that killed the vice president of Sudan. He has produced documentaries and commentary for the BBC on the dangers of aid and debt relief to Africa, and consulted for the World Bank and Transparency international, and was a Knight Fellow at Stanford in 2007.
In December 2007, he launched a new newspaper in Kampala, The Independent, a leading source of uncensored news in the country. The following spring, he was arrested and accused of publishing inflammatory articles about the Ugandan government. Since being released, he has gone on to be recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader and to win the CPJ International Press Freedom Award.
Andrew Mwenda | Speaker | TED.com