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In this article the author examines issues arising from foreign humanitarian aid provided for Africa. The central focus of the article is the author's contention that reliance on foreign aid in Africa frequently weakens domestic political and governmental organizations and undermines the accountability that exists between the states and citizens. A number of other issues are examined including the financing shortfall experienced in 2010 by developing countries, nongovernmental organizations and aid increases, and aid and the global financial crisis of 2008-09.

Jonathan Glennie argues that the global economic crisis provides us with the opportunity to alter the way we understand development. It is not just what decisions are made that matters. How they are made is just as important. Just as damaging for developing countries as the wrong-headed thinking behind neo-liberal economic policies has been the arrogance, narrowness and self-interest with which countries have been pressurized into implementing them. We need to build a context in which the right answers are not imposed, but are allowed to emerge, learning from mistakes and sharing lessons. The evidence does not point us towards a new global theory that will right our world's problems, but towards a new attitude, one of radical humility in the face of intense complexity, and of respect for efficient and accountable sovereign governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a discussion on the "Make Poverty History" campaign. It cites several opinions which see the increases in aid as a smoke screen for rich countries in their intent to increase access for their companies to new markets in the developing world. It also cites the two lessons learned from the failure of the campaign to achieve its purpose.

The article offers information on the Conservative Green paper released by Conservative Party to improve the contribution of Great Britain to gross national income. It mentions that Green Paper was written at the time of recession. It mentions that Green Paper focuses on the role of corporate contributions to international aid.