From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS: DEVELOPMENT: African officials disagree on impact of French aid
Date: 13 Oct 92 03:49:37 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.
Originator: barnhart@gagme

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: DEVELOPMENT: African officials disagree on impact of French aid


an inter press service feature

by barbara borst

paris, oct 5 (ips) -- as french and african leaders hold their
biennial summit meeting in libreville this week, officials are
divided on whether france has fulfilled its pledge to support the
process of democratic reform in africa.

the gabon summit, which started on monday and ends wednesday, is
a reminder of the linguistic and economic ties that bind france
and its former colonies.

it is also an opportunity to measure what has, and has not, been
achieved since president francois mitterrand promised a similar
gathering two years ago that france would back democratic changes
in africa.

''there is a deficit between the promise and the reality,'' said
xavier niodogo, burkina faso's economic counsellor in paris. ''it
(aid) stays at the same level, while -- with democratisation --
our needs have grown.''

indeed, burkina faso's recent presidential and legislative
elections ran into deficit, despite funding from france, canada,
the netherlands and germany - something which should have been
avoided under the structural adjustment programme mandated by the
international monetary fund (imf).

burkina faso resisted pressure from france to restructure its
political system through a national conference, as many african
states have done, because it had just held a referendum on a new
constitution.

''each country must change at its own pace,'' said niodogo. ''if
one lets everything go without preparing the people, one can fall
into disorder.''

france is the world's third largest aid donor, after japan and
the united states. its aid to developing countries in 1991 reached
38 billion francs (7.6 billion dollars).

funds for the ministry of cooperation and development, which
handles aid to 30 african and several caribbean states, increased
3.57 percent in 1992, more than the budget average.

aid as a percentage of gross national product (gnp) was 0.56
percent in 1991, expect to rise to 0.57 percent in 1992. according
to the organisation for economic cooperation and development, in
1990 aid as a percentage of gnp averaged at 0.35 percent for the
world's 24 richest industrialised nations.(more/ips)

development: african officials disagree on impact of french aid(2-e)

development: african (2)

aid to african states comes under at least three french
ministries and numerous other institutions. but, said one
development aid economist, the strength of the commitment remains.
''it is an emotional relationship,'' he said.

''france is by far our principle economic partner,'' said an
official from cameroon. ''we try to diversify but france does not
always understand this.''

europeans, he said, had been distracted from african needs by by
opening up of eastern europe.

''each time they pass by they leave us a cheque,'' he continued.
''we have to say 'thank you' on our knees for one franc. democracy
in poverty is impossible. the poor have needs and if we don't
satisfy them we face catastrophe.''

marx mbaye, information officer at senegal's embassy in paris,
said he was pleased with france's commitment to democracy in
africa because it boosted policies senegal already followed.

however, he said, senegal too had been affected by the high cost
of elections and broader economic difficulties.

france itself claims that economic deterioration in the sub-
sahara has lead to an increase in aid and a cancellation of debt.

since then it has offered the poorest developing countries grants
rather than loans and has increased its help in areas such as
overhauling tax administrations and strengthening the rule of law.

''sub saharan africa is at the heart of french preoccupations
because it relieves two thirds of our bilateral aid,'' read a
statement from the economics and finance ministry.

nevertheless, some african leaders expected more support as their
countries struggled with the social and financial costs of
national conferences, multi party politics, liberalised trade,
debts and declining prices for their products.

as one economist specialising in development said, france has
backed democratic change in some cases - such as the congo and
mali -- but remained silent on others such as madagascar and
zaire.

''france's cooperation policies are riddled with
contradictions,'' said another.  ''there are contradictions
between commercial and development objectives, between former
clients and new areas, between africa and the rest of the world,
and among the large number of institutions set up to deal with
aid.''(end/ips/cd/bb/rp/92)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african