Western Aid Still Needed in Africa
(Coutuiied m rareceding Pel will profit very much more by his and of expanded UN Technical
ein shnuld be an aceelciated ef- liter training if he has this solid Services Might we not also look
ot in the fieleriod of education in his own at a possible coordination of the
tion-in oui contibutions to theii coontry. efforts of Western nations to
universities, in multiplying their I am sure that the field of edu- povida technicians on a systems-
technical colleges, in adding train- cation is an area in which a more tic basis so that we do not cancel
ed teachers to the African teaching decisive impact could be made each other out, or indulge in
force, than in any other and an impact avoidable overlapping?
Such universities as that of which would have a speedier and We might also ask ourselves OF
Ghana or Ibadan or Makerere more direct effect upon the social whether our own foreign services
have their special relationships fabric of Africa than any other in the Western world are equipped
sith London University aid they type of assistance. to fill in these gaps always re-
receive intellectual and moral sup- Yet inevitably there will be a membeing that it is not simply a
port from the mother institution, gap before this new trained class question of moving a man onto
but I do not think there is any is ready to take over. the job for two years and then
doubt that, if we seriously looked The Ghana government real- taking him away again, but of
at this problem of African educa- istically recognizes this in its de- putting in someone who is goig
tional needs, we would do more sire to persuade ex-colonial Brit- do this longer-term job of help-
than we are doing now, and that ish officials to remain. The same ing to maintain the framework of
we could do something much more process may soon be observable social order over the years while
systematic and thought-through, in French West Africa, because I Africa, young Africa, grows.
provided-and this is the point to have the impression that the It is a broad scale of variety
which we come back again and French African leaders today are and choice in our Western eco-
again-provided our effort is not probably fully as alive as the gov- nomic, industrial and agricultural
simply for one year's lease, There ement of Ghana to the benefit background that convines se, if-
is one thin you canot do, and of s taising French administrative we dedicated ourselves to this pur-
that is educate a child in one year, officials as servants of the new pose and saw it as a legitimate
governments, concern of our foegn policy, that
SHEN THERE IS the quastion ef we could calion ifini ly greater
educatiossal exchanges and of 11OWEVER, vn if all the gov- resourcesa than thes-caled Coi- 5
enabling Africans to go abroad to enment~s concerned behave munist world,-
train with the utmust imagination and s-biit o-a--
The cons-enas of opinion among generosity,I feel convinced that G IVE SOMEstblyofa- ---
educators in Africa appears to be there are still likely to b posts in mnitra tion, we can look sta
that the results are better if the the administrative structure which the prospects for further economic -'-
overseas study is undertaken at it will not be possible to fill from growth, We come back to the four The African is being educated to develop his land artistically as
the graduate level. If the student local or ex-colonial resources. prime movers of economic develop- well as politically and economically.
can be brought to university level I therefore wonder whether we mtent.
in his own country, he gets a sense should not explore the possibilities Let us take, first of all, export Africa in this area is the biggest new areas of development and an-
of his own society, of his own of, say, a United Nations Inter- incomes. I believe that the biggest contribution we can make to our- nouncing that we are prepared to
status, of his own possibilities; he national Administrative Service, contribution that we can make to selves-and that is not to afford consider and back them as a sym-
--.-_-- -- ourselves the luxury of a recession. bol of our sense of responsibility
For the last twelve years during for the future growth of Africa.
which the whole Western world Then lastly in the matter of in-
has boomed along, Africa has been dustrialization, although African
doing quite nicely. It has been do- g o v e r n m e n t s will undoubted-
ing nicely because everybody else ly sponsor industrial schemes un-
has been doing nicely too. But if der public management-as the
the Western world reverts to pro- government of Uganda is doing
longed recessions and avoidable today-the area is likely to be one
slumps it is the primary producers predominantly of private enter-
who will take the knock first, be- prise. Certainly foreign enterprise
cause they are the least protected has a great part to play if the in-
and it is there that pauses and coming companies underline at all
hesitations at the industrial cen- points their desire to build up Af-
ter have seismic effects on the out- rican entrepreneurial techniques,
side world. African management, to go out for
L A !EC DfSo I would say that what Africa African stockholders, to create lo-
. Lreally needs of the Western world cal companies and to give what
spring-minded in this matter of export incomes they alone can give-practical
s n nis what in some measure the training in entrepreneurial and
A L L - W O O L skrin WsiglWestern world needs for itself-a managerial techniques which are
s s oreasonably stable upward trend of not yet familiar or accustomed in
or backwrop styles. growth. If we grow, we help to most of Africa, but which the Af-
SKIRTSpull Africa up with us, and if we ricans want to develop for them-
solids, stripes or do not grow, then Africa by virtue selves and for which they absolute-
of its vulnerability, its single-crop ly need outside help.
plaids in pastel economies and so forth, falls
7 quickest off the hook. AT THIS point, I should perhaps
and deep hues try to widen the canvass a lit-
some are tai- W HEN WE turn to dynamic agri- tle. I have talked at length of the
culture, I have yet to meet any needs and possibilities of the Af-
bored, some economist interested in Africabs rican commnities ahere no ape-
does not believe that the most im- cial racial problems are at issue
have soft portant and the most useful field and tried to suggest that political
for technical assistance and for advance there may outstrip de-
touches of - the investment of some capital is velopment resources in capital and
that of agricultural and extension trained manpower. But in the
-pcketswork. booming Southern communities of
Irlreased productivity is the pre- Africa where, in spite of the un-
pleats, condition of genuine agricultural certainties of our current reces-
dynamism and without dynamic sios, the prospects for the continu-
_ rim agriculture general economic de- r
x fiance of rapid economc advance
velopment is dubious indeed. But are good, the political outlook is
8-6!the truth is that we do not know more uncertain,
enough about the conditions of ad- I o not brin in outh Africa
vance in Afrisn agriculture. sIhich has cut itself off from the
In West Africa very little re-
se rhha be amailiisd n ssscurr-snt of African advassee.
search has been accomplished; But the Rhodesias with their
yet this is surely one of the area site settles conmunities tie
in which we probably could get comnitted ts tl a idea of partner-
rmore results with perhaps less ship between white and black. A
caital than in any other field -
Now, passing on to mnfrastruc- sbisdasaymoofhti-
o, is Itn t infrs tie-mlti-raialsiviiersity has beams
h ettablished -as aymol othit Ci-
A ~tsre, this, I thmisk, is sne of the ten
great fields for future aid., tet
?7-_ Here is a legitimate and effect- And in the Congo. the raising of
ive sphere for intergovernmental the African to full membership in
-i assistance and here, too, in Africa, a modern community is a foal
the needs are vast. For instance, to ahich masy present pehcies
Africa needs a transportation grid -such as progressive urbanization,
and a power grid as a pre-condi- expanding edcational and indus-
- ! f tion of any further genuine eco- trial opportunities without a color
nomic advance. bar-all contribtt
The question in these communi-
MYSELF FEEL that nothing ties-and indeed, though it is de-
could do more to create a long- nied, in South Africa as well-is
term African sense of confidence whether the wealth that is being
in the support and interest of the so rapidly increased can be shared
Western world than to make it equitably and in time with the Af-
known that we were prepared to rican majority and an African
consider a sustained, say a twenty- body of educated men and women
five year, approach to plans for created with whom partnership
providing Africa with a power and becomes a genuine responsibility.
transportation grid.
This is a shorthand way of de- NOW ALTHOUGH the problems
scribing it, but it would entail in these two large areas of Af-
taking those schemes which are rica-the black areas of moderate
economically sound, which give growth and the booming south-
promise of growth, which open up (Concluded on Next Page)
Page Four THE MICHIGAN DAILY MAGAZINE