Massive aid cuts announced by Washington have prompted panic in African capitals, but also questions on whether foreign aid has transformed low-income countries in any meaningful ways economically.
In Africa, criticism of aid being more about donor interest and less about delivering value for the recipient is as old as aid itself. Yet countries still accept tokens and fret when they are cut or frozen.
Per its own figures, the United States spent $72bn in foreign aid in 2023, more than $40bn of which was administered by USAid.
That year, the largest sector spend of…
