- Axelle Kabou
Axelle Kabou (born 1955) is a
Cameroon ian journalist, author and development specialist. She studied economy and communication and has been working for development aid. Her 1991 book "Et si l'Afrique refusait le developpement" ("And if Africa Denies Development?") is well-known and discussed. [Axelle Kabou, Et si l’Afrique refusait le développement?, L’Harmattan, Paris, 1991.] It examined an unwillingness and inability of Africans and African elites to take development of the continent into their own hands without relying on foreign aid.Nowadays various African intellectuals such as
Roger Tagri ,George Ayittey ,Andrew Mwenda ,James Shikwati andChika Onyeani agree with her analysis,Robert Mugabe being one of the most prominent examples of criticism. The book has been translated into German [Kabou, Axelle. "Weder arm noch ohnmächtig: Eine Streitschrift gegen schwarze Eliten und weisse Helfer", Basel Lenos Verlag (1993).] as well. It enhanced the sharp criticism ofBrigitte Erler [Brigitte Erler, "Tödliche Hilfe, Bericht von meiner letzten Dienstreise in Sachen Entwicklungshilfe". (Deadly Help - Report of my last foreign aid official journey) Hayit Diskurs, 96 Seiten ISBN 3-87322-081-4] against classical German foreign aid concepts.According to Kabou, classical development aid combined naivety and a willingness to support local rulers. The primary actors were foreigners, who assumed the victims were always black. Whitewash, pretext and excuses served to connect foreign aid workers and local corrupt rulers in a useless common ritual.
References
Persondata
NAME=Kabou, Axelle
SHORT DESCRIPTION=author and journalist living in France
DATE OF BIRTH=1955
PLACE OF BIRTH=Cameroon
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