The United States has been on a mission of improving the status of nations that are underdeveloped in spite of the perception by its critics that it is pursuing the policy of absolutism in winning control over poor nations. It avails its resources to developing nations that are in crisis or in need of development. The U.S gives aid to these nations for various purposes and motives (Lawrence, 2005, August). For instance, governments may be rewarded if their systems of rule are outstanding and perhaps conforms to U.S demands. The rewards may include providing infrastructure and effecting quick diplomatic approvals of the host country.
The aid may be given to governments, private organizations, specific groups, or individuals. Indeed, this has accelerated the process of globalization, whether in terms of advancing sincere humanitarian aid or pursuing selfish interests. However, the amount of aid given varies from one nation to another and maybe in the form of expertise, labor, materials, and loans or grants depending on the state of international relations and the system of governance in place.
The government of the United States, in a unipolar manner, provides rapid assistance to states, organizations or individuals to reduce or relieve them from suffering that may have been brought by natural disasters, wars, conflicts as well as man-made catastrophes like acts of terrorism (Lawrence, 2005, August). In fact, its superpower status enables it to perform these supranational duties. It is for these kinds of emergencies that the U.S offers a humanitarian response. To some people, it uses its imperialistic aid agencies to provide vital services like food aid, loans, and sheltering materials for self-interest. (Anon, 2010, September). Also, it provides transport or logistics as one of its provisions of funding or its in-kind services. This essay will explore the issue of how and why the US is providing humanitarian aid to Kenya and Uganda.
In the East African region, Kenya has the largest and most diversified economy. It boasts of its diversity in culture and tourism industry (Robyn, 2011, December). Also, it is an important nation in the African continent because of its location as a transport hub due to its neo-conservative nature. However, Kenya had suffered backwardness similar to many countries in the Balkan regions, which the US government subjected its rule and isolationism before the Geneva accord was enacted. There has been an inequitable distribution of resources and exacerbated ethnic divisions as the US government purportedly drawing a marshal plan to uplift the living standard of Kenyans (Anon., 2010, September).
Most of its citizens are poor and practices subsistence farming for sustenance, which clearly manifests the alarming levels of poverty that have been aggravated by bureaucratic systems of government. In addition, the gap that exists between the poor and the rich is wide (Lawrence, 2005, August). The rich class group is made up of the political elite and a small group of middle-level class. It is also important to note that there are limited job opportunities and that a bigger population of workers works in the informal sector.
In 2007 after the volatile presidential elections, violence erupted, and the economy of Kenya was greatly affected (Lawrence, 2005, August). However, it is worth noting that Kenya has a new constitution that has given the USAID top priority for the improvement of governance in Kenya. There are those who believe that the Obama administration played a kleptocracy role in influencing the outcome of both the referendum and the adoption of the new constitution due to the fact that the Pentagon was instrumental in worst casing the ideals of the American constitution in the Kenyan one. The future of Kenya, in terms of peace and stability, reforms, conflict resolutions, economic growth, as well as support improvements, depend on USAID (Walker, 2011, February). Other areas that the USAID is involved in improving include environmental management health and education. The US has come up with programs that will help the country to develop.
To begin with, the US has invested in people’s health. In Kenya, health issues affect a large population with diseases like malaria and TB, among others affecting the young and the old. AIDS is also affecting a greater part of the population. USAID in Kenya has come up with an emergency plan for AIDS relief (Robyn, 2011, December). In addition, it has integrated prevention and treatment of diseases like tuberculosis and malaria. It is also improving issues on reproductive health, family planning, maternal and child health. The US global health initiative focuses on capacity building, governance, and leadership of the Kenyan health system for reasons of sustainability.
Secondly, it is important to note that the economy of Kenya depends on natural resources. That is probably why Kenyans prefer tourism and agriculture to run and sustain its economy. The government, in conjunction with the USAID has set up programs that target to increase productivity from small horticulture, grain, and dairy farming (Robyn, 2011 December). They are doing this by offering the farmers credit, farm implements, and market to sell their produce. In addition, through the Development Credit Authority, the USAID supports micro enterprises by giving loan guarantees to microfinance institution (Anon. 2010 September).
Also USAID helps rural communities to conserve the environment in wildlife rich areas as well their livelihoods by providing nature conservancies and environmental- friendly ecotourism enterprise (Anon, 2010 September). The issue of land and equitability that has been a problem in Kenya is being addressed by the USAID. It has come up with its foreign policies that focus on recognizing ownership rights of women as well as creating land for agriculture. Also, it is improving the private sector and trade sector.
Thirdly the US offers Kenya humanitarian aid to relieve it from suffering food security crisis. The impact of chronic underdevelopment, violence from elections, diseases in livestock, rising commodity prices and drought have resulted into food security crisis in Kenya. This crisis is affecting over 1.3 million people (Walker, 2011 February). In addition, crop and livestock production has been diminished due to erratic rainfall. (Anon, 2010 September). This has prompted the US to issue a disaster declaration that will help resolve food insecurity in Kenya and has used its financial power and issued $11 million for humanitarian interventions.
US offer humanitarian aid to resolve complex emergencies. In December 2007, incidences of massive violence and looting erupted in Kenya. These were related to the disputed presidential elections and as result, many people were left landless and others were displaced (Robyn, 2011 December). According to the Kenya Red Cross Society over 100,000 people in western Kenya were displaced. In addition, the media reported over a 1000 injuries and deaths ranging from150 to 300. The US brought in its domestic politics into the affairs of Kenya its intentions being to further its selfish interests. In 2008, the USAID/OFSA provided $200,000 to Kenya to purchase distribute emergency relief supplies (Walker, 2011 February).
In addition, the US offers aid to relieve Kenya from natural disasters like drought. In the period between October and December 2010, Kenya experienced unfavorable weather conditions that were evidenced by short rains. Many areas experienced drought and these has resulted into abnormal migrations in such of water (Bo, January 2011). In January 2008, USAID/OFDA together with the Kenya Agricultural Business and Environmental Office carried out an assessment and confirmed that there was an urgent need for humanitarian assistance to help mitigate the effect of drought Walker, 2011 February).
The United States Agency for International Development in Uganda USAID implements assistance program from the US. Its mission has been to implement foreign policy objectives on matters like humanitarian assistance, health and education, peace and security as well as good governance and democracy. The US has been offering humanitarian aid in Uganda since the 1960s (Heather, 2011 October).
To begin with US offers food for peace and other non food humanitarian assistance to those people who are suffering fro drought in the North Eastern region of Uganda. According to The Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, a greater population of Uganda requires emergency food and aid (Bo, 2011 January). This is due to the fact that over 1.5 million have been displaced in the Northern Uganda due to inter wars fuelled by some of the American idealist friends (Heather, 2011 October). The USAID has been able to supply 50% of the assistance both non-food and humanitarian assistance.
The US intends to improve and support the life the Ugandan people. USAID and the Ugandan government have come up with ways to support, nurture and preserve human capacity by coming up with policies that work towards educating and providing with medical care. It also works towards improving the health of the vulnerable populations such as people with disabilities, children, infants and the internally displaced persons (Walker, 2011 February). USAID seeks to provide affordable and high quality social services that will help manage diseases like diarrhea malnutrition, TB, malaria and other diseases.
The US military has an operation in the horn of Africa that calls itself Operation Enduring Freedom-Horn of Africa (OEF-HOA) whose mission is to combat piracy and terrorism since the latter believes that there is a deficit of peace in the region that has caused humanitarian crisis such as refugee problem. The military team is made up of other nations in Africa which including from west of Africa to the north and East of Africa who has UN entitlements to maintain peace. The OEF-HOA combats the Somali pirates who operate along the coast of Somali.
In November 2006, the OEF-HOA was in Kenya to conduct a humanitarian mission in Garissa in North Eastern Province (Heather October, 2011). However, the so called the humanitarian crisis in the horn of Africa has been perpetuated by the search for oil resources in the name of US foreign policies in war-torn regions. In fact, the principle of McCarthyism that initially targeted safeguarding human rights has not been realistically.
To sum up, it is important to realize that the US displays its imperialistic power to restructure Africa. Other important reasons it has for offering aid include improving human capacity, expanding rural sector growth by providing sustainable economic opportunities, creating a participatory and more effective governance as well as having initiatives to alleviate other forms of human suffering.
Reference
Anon. (2010, September) AFRICA: Short-termism undermines food security policy.. Oxford Analytica Daily Brief Service 1.
Bo, E. (2011, January 8). Alliance aids African lives: Atlanta’s Ugandan experience leads to help for orphans. $2 million in donations funds five projects. The Atlanta Journal – Constitution, p. D.1.
Heather, K. (2011, October). Getting Uganda back on its feet. Medical Post, 41(34), 25.
Lawrence, K. A. (2005, August 30). U.S. Blamed for Condom Shortage in Fighting AIDS in Uganda. New York Times (Late Edition (east Coast), p. A.4.
Robyn, D. (2011, December 2). Focus on Africa farms, book says; A development expert says the continent must give priority to agriculture to halt the spread of hunger. Los Angeles Times, p. A.8.
Walker, D. (2011, February). Water wars of climate change. Photo District News, 31(2), 16-18.