UN president Kutesa calls for self-reliance and not aid

By David Mugabe

KAMPALA - The president of the United Nations General Assembly has asked Africa, and Uganda specifically, to look within itself to finance the next globally agreed development agenda instead of relying on foreign aid.

Presenting a statement at the “High level dialogue on financing sustainable development in Uganda” on Monday at the office of the Prime Minister’s Conference room, Sam Kutesa said the realization that we are in danger if we don’t depend on ourselves should be the driving force of mobilizing local resources.

The sustainable developments goals (SDGs) to be adapted this September by the world heads of states will replace the millennium development goals in the post 2015 agenda.

“In the past many times we go with cup in hand begging, but domestic mobilization is going to be key, the total sum of mobilized cash by African states is already more than transfers,” noted Kutesa.

Kutesa said the development goals are business opportunities which require more investments in health, education and green technologies and Africa should take advantage of them.

“They are not there for the lab, for instance vocationalisation in education is a huge business opportunity, there is greater understanding in the development agenda that spurs opportunities for business,” noted Kutesa. Finance minister Matia Kasaija had earlier set the tone saying “nobody owes us a living.”

“We must raise our own capacity first and foremost before we seek helping hands,” noted Kasaija.

Uganda did fairly well in the MDGs but fell short on achieving universal primary education, maternal health that stagnated at 438 deaths per 100,000 live births and a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and malaria.
 

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Besides health, access to education for all will also be another area of focus

Water minister Ephraim Kamuntu then questioned the slow implementation of programs even in the midst of available sufficient resources to which he was reminded by Kutesa that the responsibility of implementation remained both Kamuntu’s and Kutesa’s.

The 17 SDGs have a core objective of eradicating extreme poverty. But to do this, Kutesa says the SDGs must be integrated in the national development plans.

Dr Carlos Lopez, the executive secretary of the UN economic commission for Africa said aid must complement rather than be a substitute for Africa’s development agenda. He noted that the fact that these matters are being discussed now and in Africa should give the continent hope.

“We were all very busy consuming aid and thinking we were going to develop but we did not (develop), African countries have done tremendously well, Africa can celebrate but many hurdles remain,” noted Lopez adding that African already has the means.

“What it needs is leadership, will and determination to deliver,” noted Lopez

For almost six decades, post-colonial Africa has had a slanted relationship with the west based largey on aid support which analysts say has been slanted towards favouring the west with little impact on the economic wellbeing of the content. In recent times, agreements that stipulated that development countries commit 0.7% of their incomes to aid have also not been honoured.

“This leaves Africa to look to its own domestic mobilization and will require bringing on board the informal sector, better tax administration and curtailing illicit flows,” noted Lopes.