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From OAU to AU, One Banda to another, Malawi comes full circle. An analytical comparison of Grants in US$ and number of active donors. In reigns of Dr. Banda, Muluzi & Mutharika – with a foreign policy perspective. Garvey Karvei /Wise One from the East Collaboration. A note on the Data
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From OAU to AU, One Banda to another, Malawi comes full circle An analytical comparison of Grants in US$ and number of active donors In reigns of Dr. Banda, Muluzi & Mutharika – with a foreign policy perspective Garvey Karvei /Wise One from the East Collaboration
A note on the Data • All amounts represent Net bilateral aid flows only from DAC donors (at current US$) • Reference to non-DAC donors, e.g. Libya, RSA, is meant to enhance context. • Chinese figures have never been publicized. Rather than hazard guesses, no mention has been made at all about both Chinas • The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) is a 24 member donor group, the EU inclusive. More info on http://www.oecd.org/document/1/0,3746,en_2649_33721_46662849_1_1_1_1,00.html • Data Source: http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/malawi/net-bilateral-aid-flows-from-dac-donors
"My first duty is towards my people. If, in order to look after my people, I have to deal with the devil, I will do so." Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, addressing the United Nations in 1967
(1) Dr. Banda & his policies widened the donor-base from 1 (UK) in 1962 to 23. 2 withheld funds from 1992
(2) Save for the periods between 1982-85 and 1992, aid in absolute terms, was always increasing
(2) 1982/85 drop Developments surrounding the Mwanza Accident
Impact 1983: Aaron Gadama, Dick Matenje, Mr Sangala & Mr Chiwanga were murdered (2)
(3) 1992 drop Donors’ solidarity with Malawians in the fight for democracy
FACT: Even with the increasing goodwill, without apartheid SA’s help, Lilongwe City and related developments would have remained ‘Gweru’ dreams!
On the basis of the aforegoing: Dr. Banda`s policies towards widening the donor base to avoid putting all eggs in one basket, paid off; The DAC donors of course do not condone human rights abuses and autocracy; Rebuffing the OAU stance on apartheid RSA was, in Malawi‘s economic context…..
…strategic and was later vindicated by history. IF Lilongwe City is anything to go by, Malawi stance paid dividends.
1994 Enter Exit
(1) Bakili Muluzi inherited 23 donors, with 20 active in 1994 and finished with same 23 (save for new Arab benefactors)
(1) During his decade, Denmark, scaled down heavily, 2 others wavered
(2) Grants nose-dived in 1997 (corruption) and 2001-02 (third term agenda and shrinking political space)
(3) Muluzi wooed back 2 donors that had deserted Malawi in 1992
Denmark (3) …and found it tough-going with the Danes who scaled down in 2001
It was not very surprising that he increasingly courted ‘donors’ like Libya to bring some level of stability
2004 Exit Bakili Muluzi Enter Bingu wa Mutharika
(1) Bingu inherited 23 donors, and finished with same 23
Switzerland- minor donor (2) Grants were from 2004 to 2010, ever-increasing and with them donor-dependence
(3) At the time this was compiled, data for 2011 and 12 was not available…
BUT notable is the fact that 2011/12 Malawi disastrously experimented with a zero deficit budget
The zero deficit budget has in 2012/13 been abandoned, condemned as an ill-timed and unrealistic experiment.
Sadly Bingu wa Mutharika did not live to defend his theories /experiments
2012 Enters Mrs Joyce Banda to finish Bingu wa Mutharika‘s term
Baptism of fire! A B Host Omar al-Bashir, and forget the MCC Compact and face the music…. Host Omar al-Bashir, and be a African hero like Bingu wa Mutharika, Mugabe & Co…
Bye bye AU, we have been down this road before…Remember Dr. Banda? Test Result ...any way thanks for the offer to host the summit but NO, thank you. U can stuff the summit!
Has Joyce Banda passed the test? …open for debate…
"I respect the decision of the African Union to move the summit to Addis Ababa. To me what comes first is Malawi and Malawians. I respect President Bashir as president of Sudan. I am the president of the Republic of Malawi and my main agenda is to put Malawi on economic recovery.“ - Joyce Banda on June 14, 2012 at Chileka Airport
Is it surprising at all and is Mrs Joyce Banda wrong to walk in Dr Banda‘s footsteps? …see final graph Closing Remarks
This chart shows the maximum reached in terms of net aid received for each of Malawi‘s 3 past leaders • Where in hell did Bingu wa Mutharika get the idea that he could do without the west when all this evidence more than proves that his tenure is when aid in dollar terms reached the highest? • May be we should ask, where did the dollars in 2010 go?
Indeed, from the OAU to AU, One Banda to another, 3 men to a woman, Malawi has come full circle. Good-bye AU, it was good chairing you, but we find accepting the reality easier! Epilogue