Introduction
In recent times the word “Foreign Aid” is gaining popularity and third world countries are embracing it with open arms. Most of the developed countries are adopting this philanthropic method and helping out the poorer countries. The transfer of money, expertise, machinery, and every related resource that would help another country is known as foreign aid.
Foreign aid is an integral part of creating equality amongst the nations. Although total equality among the nations can’t be achieved foreign aid acts as a stepping stone in the entire process. Strategic and Business alliances are one of the positive aspects of foreign aid and both the sender and the receiver get benefits out of it.
Foreign Aid helps out the turbulent countries in establishing their economy, human resources and reduces elements like employment, uncertainty, etc. Besides certain developed countries there are certain organizations like International Monetary Funds (IMF), World Bank, and numerous NGOs that help out the poorer countries. In order to come out from the menace of poverty these organizations have set certain targets and plan to help the underdeveloped countries (Lancaster 2008).
A number of economists and strategists are criticizing that foreign aid posses adverse effects and it is negatively affecting the developing and the under developing countries. They criticize the point that the element of dependency is lost in the case of foreign aid and these underdeveloped countries are becoming dependent day by day.
The USA- A major donor
The United States of America is currently known as the superpower of the world. Its history is very rich as far as foreign aid is concerned and nearly all the developing and underdeveloped countries have received aids from the US on numerous bases. The USA is one of the major partners of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Statistics reveal that the USA’s aid is $21,197(million) in 2007 and the figure kept on increasing.
Some individuals believe that the “War on Terrorism” is one of the major issues why the USA is stressing foreign aid. The USA is gaining a strategic advantage over most of the countries and on the other hand, the element of terrorism is decreasing. Thus the policies of the US are showing positive signs as they are helping out the poor and reducing terrorism too.
Besides monetary aids, certain counties like Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, and Columbia are provided with military and strategic aids. These countries are resolving their internal uncontrollable disputes with the help of foreign aid supplied by the US.
US aid to Columbia
Columbia is a country that is linked with the Amazon River and shares its borders with Venezuela and Brazil. Columbia is an undeveloped country and is facing issues like financial crises, social and political uncertainty, etc. A certain issue like unemployment, drug addiction, and smuggling of drugs is considered to be the biggest problem of this country. Financial problems have risen up so much that this country is going towards bankruptcy. Therefore countries like the USA, Germany, China, and other giants of the world help underdeveloped countries financially in order to remain stable.
Columbia has historical relationships with the United States and both countries are benefiting from it. The US has provided military, financial, strategic assistance to the government of Columbia and in several areas, both the countries enjoy a healthy relationship. In the western hemisphere, Columbia is considered the largest recipient of US aid.
Currently, the situation in Columbia is not that great and massacres, drugs, smuggling, killings are ruining the country. Due to these uncertainties, the financial aid of the US has reached an estimated amount of $728 million. Moreover, a hefty amount of police and military assistance was provided to Columbia. Although certain policy analysts have declared Columbia as a negative state as far as aid is concerned because a number of evidence were available that depict that Columbia was unable to protect human rights. But the United States is working hand in hand with the government of Columbia and the foreign aid continues (AMI USA 2008).
The foreign aid of the USA continues, but the irony of the situation is that the USA is failed in its approach and now both the governments are facing the consequences. The USA has spent over 5 million dollars in the previous six years through its foreign assistance program but they have failed to control cocaine consumption. In the Bush regime, the figure remained the same and unwanted emphasis on military and security was laid by the government and these two elements were the main feature of the aid and comprised about 80% of the total aid.
Plan Columbia and the war on drugs
In Columbia, the consumption of drugs like marijuana, cocaine, etc is increasing and different efforts were made by the governments of both countries to curb this issue. Steps were taken to first reduce and then eliminate the consumption of drugs. This plan was initiated between 1998 and 1999. Although aids were granted on different issues to Columbia but eradicating narcotics was considered to be the major task. Therefore, the US government grants a hefty amount of financial aid to Columbia out of which 78.12 percent went to the Columbian military to fight against the smugglers of drugs and to strengthen up the anti-narcotics department. President Pastrana was the initiator of this plan and he also admitted that most of the US aid was targeted towards the drug issue and a huge amount of aid went to military assistance programs.
This program is considered a part of the “War on Drugs” and it is associated with the social and military assistance provided by the United States. Congress has supported this program and most of the congressional supporters claim that this program would eradicate the production of cocaine as cocoa is sprayed in the fields. This program has eradicated many illegal organizations and to some extent, it has reduced the production of cocaine.
Columbia is a major cocoa-producing nation and for decades it’s been controlled by guerilla organizations. This program is continued for years and the Bush administration has expanded the program and about $380 million was targeted for this plan. Critics claim that it’s better to curb the demand rather than curbing the production is concerned as the plants can be grown anywhere therefore it’s useless then. Drug crops can always be regrown and it’s nearly impossible to stop this menace (US Aid 2008).
Thus, we can say that the outcome of this plan is mixed and we can’t infer a subtle result from this plan. However, both the governments consider the plan as a positive attribute and they believe that the outcomes are positive. Both the governments believe that there is a hefty amount of decline in the production of cocaine as the resources are either very few and some aren’t available. Critics believe that the supply of cocoa must be taxed heavily in order to restrict the production of cocaine and just removing the fields can’t help the cause. In such a scenario cocaine can be produced in the suburban areas or outside Columbia
Huge amounts of dollars are spent on Columbia. A hefty amount is spent on military and drug services. The core mission of the donor countries is to eradicate the menace of drugs and political instability. The chart that is given below would state what actually the figures that are related to donations are.
Source: The Center of International Policy’s – Columbia Program
America should continue the foreign Aid to Columbia or not?
The number of troops in Columbia has been increased from 400 to 800 and the government plans to increase them more. International organizations are criticizing this move of the United States and they believe that money of USA was used by various countries to solve their internal problems and to stop human rights violations. However, certain policy makers and most of the congressional people in the United States believe that this move of USA to increase the troops and the aid to Columbia is a positive measure and it’s a great step in reducing terrorism and drug production.
The political instability has taken Columbia to a cease fire situation and the Columbian governments and the Columbian troops are working hand in hand with the troops of United States to solve certain issue.
Thus, a question arises that should the United States should continue its aid to Columbia or not? The decreasing number of violent activity and the reduction of cocaine suggest that America should continue its aid. Columbian president and the officials of Columbia agree on the point that since they have limited resources therefore they can’t control everything in the state. Since it’s a cease fire situation in Columbia and therefore the government can’t control this issue. United States with its alleys is trying its level best to control the situation of Columbia. The ratio of deaths through violence is decreasing in Columbia and statistics reveal that in 2003 only 15 people were either missing or they died because of violence. The governments of both the countries believe that this dramatic drop in the number of deaths due to violence is because of the fact that the troops of United States were increased. However this can’t be evaluated that there is a direct relation in the increase in foreign aid with the decrease in violence but we can say that if the dollars that were spent can produce more results if positive planning is adopted (Lyells 2004).
Conclusion
In a nutshell we can say that United States posses great relations with countries that are suffering from poverty and areas where military assistance is required. Helping the suffering countries is considered to be an important aspect of the United States foreign policy. In countries where terrorism is increasing, where drugs are smuggled, where the integrity of the government is challenged in such areas United States plays its role and helps the sufferers.
The relations of foreign aid with Columbia is increasing and it is expected in the nearer future that if the situation gets worsen up then more dollars should be spent in Columbia in order to control the situation of the state.
Works Cited
- “US military Aid to Columbia.” 2008.Amnesty International USA.
- Lyells, C. “US Foreign Aid to Colombia”. 2004. Gustavus Adolphus College.
- “Latin America and the Carribean.” 2008 US Aid.
- “Military and Police Assistance Programs” 2008. The Center Of International Policy.
- Lancaster, C. George Bush’s Foreign Aid: Transformation or Chaos? Center for Global Development, 2008.