Volker Seitz: “Less would be more”, D+C/E+Z 12/2009, p. 464ff.
The argument that aid may do harm is legitimate, and there is evidence of that happening sometimes. But this does not imply that the entire system should be considered destructive. The facts speak a different language: aid is a tricky business and certainly not without fault, but all summed up, there are many and overwhelming benefits.

In the 90s, many donors supported the idea of only granting aid to countries with development-oriented governments, so as not to reward bad governance. For two reasons, however, this principle cannot apply strictly.
– First of all, aid also serves purposes of diplomacy and economics. Sometimes, these ­issues matter more to government than ­development-cooperation dogmatisms, and rightly so, for instance, when peace can be bought by promising aid. – Second, it is important to reach out to poor people in mal-governed countries in order to avoid utter hopelessness. The snag is that­ ­reducing poverty always boosts the legitimacy of those in power. Nonetheless, it is well understood that it is possible to grant material support exclusively to poor people in countries with bad governance.

In the past 30 years, the developing countries have proven able to provide for an additional 2 billion people who live above the poverty line. In terms of methodology, it is next to impossible to precisely assess the contribution of aid to this success – but that certainly does not mean that there hasn’t been one. In view of these circumstances, Mr Seitz’s argument that „less would be more“ is patently overblown.

Prof. Dr. Siegfried Schönherr, Ifo Institute for Economic Research, Munich.

“Peace before truth”, Monitor, D+C/E+Z, February 2010, p. 52
I saw your item in the February issue of D+C. You’re right in asking questions about the reliability of the Rwandan “independent“ inquiry on the attack on Habyarimana’s plane. Actually, the report is totally unconvincing and a pretty clumsy attempt at covering up the RPF’s responsibility, as I elaborated in my “Analyse du rapport Mutsinzi sur ­l’attentat du 6 avril 1994” which was published as an IOB working paper: (http://www.ua.ac.be > Publications by IOB > Working papers > Reyntjens: Analyse...).

Filip Reyntjens PhD, Professor of Law and Politics, Institute of Development Policy and Management (IOB), University of Antwerp.
»» http://www.ua.ac.be > > >

“The importance of being heard”, Focus section, D+C/E+Z, January 2010, p.14f.
Your report was right on target. More and more I am interested in FEMRITE. My reason for asking that your writers promote Christian beliefs is that I believe the church in Uganda is somewhat corrupt. In the church meetings I attended last year with the mission team, God’s Word about marriage, “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.” (Eph. 5:28), was never mentioned. This is not just an advice. It is a command, not open to debate. If challenged, I always say: “I didn’t say it, God did.” Again, congratulations on your great article!

Jo DiStefano Kapus, Atlantic County, New Jersey, USA.