Isaias Afwerki

Isaias Afwerki is the president of Eritrea, a country in northeast Africa that became formally independent of Ethiopia in 1993. In the following viewpoint, he argues that foreign aid offered to Eritrea and other African countries often comes with too many conditions and rules imposed by donor nations. Foreign aid programs are often self-perpetuating and serve the interests of donors instead of the intended beneficiaries. Afwerki concludes that foreign aid, if it is to help Africa, must be completely restructured so as to emphasize African development goals and self-sufficiency.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What kinds of preconditions to foreign aid offers does Afwerki describe?
2. What should be the yardstick for measuring the effectiveness of foreign aid programs, according to the author?
3. What past example of a successful foreign aid initiative does Afwerki...