The Problem with helping Africa

Image via Wikipedia

I just left the Clinton Global Initiative. It was an inspiring session, Bill Gates and Bill Clinton, talking about how they have helped Africans over the years exchanging notes on AIDS, Malaria, economic development, clean water, poverty alleviation. Explaining how all the billions that US private organizations are sending to the continent are helping Africans. But as I was walking out of the conference I see the following scene. A presidential motorcade, escorted by NYCPD cars stops at a Jewelry shop on 57th Street between Park and Madison. An African President who I could not identified walks in surrounded by bodyguards. I was curious and I wanted to enter as well but they closed the shop for him.

Now of course everyone is entitled to go and buy diamonds. Anyone with money at least. And maybe I am wrong and this African President is buying a diamond out of his lifetime savings from his reasonable presidential salary. But most likely, this president who is paradoxically being provided a police escort in NYC is another one of those corrupt politicians who steal from his people. So while he buys diamonds Western donors are supposed to fix the problems that he is creating.