Development co-operation for Africa, with special reference to a partnership relation

Abstract

The problem to be investigated is whether development cooperation between especially the rich Northern part of the world and the African continent (including South Africa) is necessary or advisable. This question can be divided into the following three sub-questions: (1) Does Africa need development aid? (2) Will help from outside produce the needed results? (3) How can such cooperation be structured in the most efficient way? The three answers to these questions are: (1) Without outside help Africa will not be able to escape from its poverty trap. (2) In spite of the fact that development cooperation is at the moment experiencing a “mid-life crisis”, both practical and Christian principial reasons do not allow its termination. (3) Many weak points in the existing forms of development cooperation may be overcome with the application of a genuine partnership relationship.