EDITORIAL: Threats to pull aid an opportunity for Namibia
This week has been a wake-up call for Africa – a harsh reminder that our dependence on foreign aid is unsustainable and, worse, humiliating. The rise of far-right leaders across the Western world, from Donald Trump in the United States to Giorgia Meloni in Italy and the surging Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Germany, signals a shift toward nationalist policies that put their own interests first.
For too long, African leaders have convinced themselves that foreign aid came with no real strings attached. But this illusion has now been shattered. When Trump bluntly tells South Africa to abandon its equitable land policies or risk losing US financial support, those strings suddenly become all too visible.
And yet, Africa is far from poor. We walk on gold, diamonds, uranium and oil. Our lands are fertile, our youth vibrant and our potential limitless. But despite these riches, we remain at the mercy of foreign donors. Namibia, for instance, continues to receive significant aid from Germany – our biggest foreign benefactor, perhaps for reasons deeply rooted in history. But what happens if Germany’s rising far-right decides to turn inward and abandon foreign aid altogether, just as Trump is doing in America?
Rather than lamenting the inevitable shift in global priorities, Africa must see this as an opportunity – an urgent call to break free from dependency and take full ownership of our development. Our leaders must prioritise self-reliance, maximise the use of our abundant resources and build economies that are resilient and independent.
The era of waiting for handouts is over. It is time for Africa to stand tall, forge its own path and dictate its own future – on its own terms.
For too long, African leaders have convinced themselves that foreign aid came with no real strings attached. But this illusion has now been shattered. When Trump bluntly tells South Africa to abandon its equitable land policies or risk losing US financial support, those strings suddenly become all too visible.
And yet, Africa is far from poor. We walk on gold, diamonds, uranium and oil. Our lands are fertile, our youth vibrant and our potential limitless. But despite these riches, we remain at the mercy of foreign donors. Namibia, for instance, continues to receive significant aid from Germany – our biggest foreign benefactor, perhaps for reasons deeply rooted in history. But what happens if Germany’s rising far-right decides to turn inward and abandon foreign aid altogether, just as Trump is doing in America?
Rather than lamenting the inevitable shift in global priorities, Africa must see this as an opportunity – an urgent call to break free from dependency and take full ownership of our development. Our leaders must prioritise self-reliance, maximise the use of our abundant resources and build economies that are resilient and independent.
The era of waiting for handouts is over. It is time for Africa to stand tall, forge its own path and dictate its own future – on its own terms.
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