July/August edition

Letters to the editor

Readers feedback to the article on cash transfer programmes and to colour photographs in our print edition.

27.09.2011

False accusations

D+C/E+Z 2011/7-8, p. 298 ff., Bernd Schubert: “Consistently inconsistent”

The article heavily criticises the German development ministry’s (BMZ) decision to stop funding the “Social Cash Transfer Kalomo” project in Zambia in 2006. As the director of the BMZ division for Zambia at that time, I would like to shed some light on the reasons for our withdrawal. The main reason was not – as stated in the article – that the project did not fit German priorities. Rather, even though the pilot phase of the Kalomo project had proved successful, we couldn’t ensure Zambian ownership when expanding to further villages. Obviously, it is not up to German development cooperation but to the national authorities, to decide which villages are to benefit from a cash transfer system. The roll out needs to be funded from national budget. We proposed to fund the cash transfer system through budget aid. It would thus have become part of the Zambian poverty reduction policy, which would have ensured appropriate parliamentary approval. But as the Zambian authorities showed no interest, we had to withdraw. Contrary to what the article states, our Zambian partners showed no indignation or bewilderment, whereas the German project staff was indeed unhappy with the decision. Bernd Schubert is right when he calls for supporting cash transfer programmes “that are planned and implemented by the governments of developing countries”. But he would certainly agree that we should, hence, not support programmes which they do not plan and implement.

Dr. Ralf Ernst Schröder, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia