As Africa heads converge in Japan for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), it is urgent that we reflect on African interests. We already have had Sino-Africa, Euro-Africa, Indo-Africa and now TICAD. The most common denominator in all these is aid.

During an International Seminar of Aid Effectiveness  which took place in Kenya recently, it was reported that Mr. Kilonntsi Mporogomyi a Tanzanian Member of Parliament who is also a member of NEPAD Contact Group of African Parliamentarians mentioned that some donors are also engaged in corruption that paralyses Africa’s economy.
These donors have always attached unrealistic  aid conditions, for instance the consultancies and tendering are usually done by the companies from donor countries which subject most recipient countries to grinding  poverty as half of the aid is consumed by such companies.

These donors allegedly meet our government ministers in exclusive  hotels where they sign agreements without scrutinising the documents. Most of these binding statements have been favouring donors and not Africans. Such unrealistic moves should be avoided as such donors need to be censored first. Why milk a continent dry in the name of aid?

Most African governments have executive sweeping powers on international and bilateral economic engagement leaving no room for independent evaluation of aid use for audit purposes. The donors use such powers to secretly meddle with our economies. Nothing regarding a country should be signed in an exclusive setting as this threatens transparency which we are working so hard to achieve.

When shall Africa host a frank intra-Africa summit to strategise on how to exploit our resources to generate income?