The following exposition on the World Bank and the projects they fund in some African Countries is like agreeing to lend your friend your gun knowing fully well they intend to commit suicide with it
They only difference between the World Bank and the projects they fund vis- a- vis my suicide- committing friend is that the projects are real weapons that kill people while my suicide- committing friends remain figments of my imagination.
In this paper, I have argued that the World Bank, for “oily” reasons, have funded projects in Africa not because they sought to assist in developing the continent but more so they can benefit and take African oil home. I have used evidence from different sources that include the World Bank itself to fault this selfish capitalist mode of unsustainable operation. This paper notes that the problems ensuing from the foregoing are further compounded by the involvement of corrupt African leaders.
It is my contention that to a large extent the World Bank is most guilty since they provide the “pistol” used by African leaders to impoverish the poor masses. In more recent times the situation of the poor around the globe has become an international issue. The right of the poor to good standards of living as noted in the UN declaration on human rights has contributed to increased global concerns on the situation of the poor. I conclude by stating that proper development should focus on the people, and that the World Bank should live up to what it stands for as expounded in it claims that the poor need to be offered means to security, opportunity and empowerment.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. African Oil Countries and “The Natural Resource Curse”
3. Overview of the World Bank Report 2000/2001: Attacking Poverty
3.1 Opportunity
3.2 Empowerment
3.3 Security
4. WDR, World Bank, Governments and The Poor
5. WDR and The Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Project: Muted Voices and Broken Promises
6. The World Bank: The Child that bites its mother’s breasts?
7. Who takes the Oil Home?
8. What Holds for ‘Duty Bearing’ and being essentially human?
9. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper aims to critically evaluate the World Bank’s 2000/2001 development report, specifically examining the contradiction between its stated goal of "attacking poverty" and its active funding of extractive oil projects in Africa, which often exacerbate the conditions of the local poor.
- The impact of the "Natural Resource Curse" on oil-dependent African nations.
- A critical assessment of the World Bank’s "Opportunity, Empowerment, and Security" framework.
- Analysis of the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Project as a case study of failed development promises.
- The role of neo-classical economic models in perpetuating poverty and voicelessness.
- Institutional responsibilities and the ethical implications of international development financing.
Excerpt from the Book
WDR and The Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Project: Muted Voices and Broken Promises
Rated one of the most controversial ventures in the history of the World Bank institution, the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project involved the development of 300 oil wells in Chad and the construction of a 1070 pipeline to the Atlantic coast of Cameroon. Is it necessary to state who funded this project? According to the World Bank, this project would increase government revenue which could be spent on poverty reduction programs on health, education and rural development (Nguiffo and Breitkoptf 2001) and is in consonance with WDR’s position that developing countries require international financial stability and private investments to create more room for opportunities, empowerment and security (WDR Overview). It is important to state here to go back to the contention of the World Bank that income generation must be complemented by the right government response to translate income to pro poor poverty reduction strategies (WDR chap 6). However, the project was carried out despite cries from indigenes and NGOs who stressed the negative impacts it would have on the affected communities where the project was to be sited. Their argument was that both World bank and national governments involved in the project did not have the right mechanism in place to make the project beneficial to the poor (Nguiffo and Breitkopptf, 2001); the project amongst others, did not consider how it would lead to making the poor more vulnerable to various forms of shocks and setbacks. It only took year after the project was carried out for the problems stated by concerned citizens and international bodies as reason why the project should not be carried out started manifesting.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Discusses the global commitment to poverty reduction and introduces the "Natural Resource Curse" as a paradox for oil-producing African nations.
2. African Oil Countries and “The Natural Resource Curse”: Explains how heavy dependence on oil exports correlates with authoritarianism, corruption, and lower standards of living.
3. Overview of the World Bank Report 2000/2001: Attacking Poverty: Summarizes the report's multidimensional strategy based on the triptych of opportunity, empowerment, and security.
4. WDR, World Bank, Governments and The Poor: Evaluates the gap between the World Bank's policy rhetoric and the reality of its involvement in land-intensive oil projects.
5. WDR and The Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Project: Muted Voices and Broken Promises: Examines the specific failures and negative socioeconomic impacts of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline on local populations.
6. The World Bank: The Child that bites its mother’s breasts?: Presents evaluations from the World Bank's own Operations Department regarding institutional weaknesses and lack of impact.
7. Who takes the Oil Home?: Investigates the geopolitical interests and political motives behind World Bank funding in West Africa.
8. What Holds for ‘Duty Bearing’ and being essentially human?: Relates the World Bank's fossil fuel investments to Amartya Sen's concept of development as human freedom.
9. Conclusion: Concludes that the World Bank must move beyond neoclassical commitments to ensure true development and avoid silencing the poor.
Keywords
World Bank, Attacking Poverty, Natural Resource Curse, Chad-Cameroon Pipeline, African Oil, Poverty Alleviation, Empowerment, Opportunity, Security, Development, Voicelessness, Powerlessness, Human Rights, Extractive Industries, Neo-classical Economics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper examines the inconsistency between the World Bank's rhetoric in its 2000/2001 report on attacking poverty and its actual funding of oil projects in sub-Saharan Africa.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The central themes include the "Natural Resource Curse," institutional responsibility, the rights of indigenous people, and the socioeconomic impact of extractive industry projects.
What is the primary research question?
The paper seeks to evaluate to what extent the World Bank acts as a true "duty bearer" to the poor, or if its projects ultimately serve to silence the vulnerable populations they claim to help.
Which methodology is used in the study?
The author uses a critical analysis of World Bank documentation, empirical project outcomes like the Chad-Cameroon pipeline, and relevant academic theories such as the Natural Resource Curse.
What does the main body address?
The main body compares the World Bank's stated "Opportunity, Empowerment, and Security" framework against the negative realities of environmental degradation, increased social inequality, and human rights issues in oil-dependent countries.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include World Bank, Natural Resource Curse, Poverty Alleviation, Empowerment, Chad-Cameroon Pipeline, and Muted Voices.
How does the author characterize the World Bank’s role in Africa?
The author suggests the World Bank acts like a friend who provides a "pistol" to a suicidal individual, arguing that by funding projects that dispossess the poor, the Bank contributes to their "suicidal" marginalization.
What does the author conclude about African governments?
While critical of the World Bank, the author acknowledges that corrupt and authoritarian African governments share significant blame for the mismanagement of oil revenues and the failure to implement pro-poor policies.
- Citar trabajo
- B.A, B.Phil, Msc Chijioke Uba (Autor), 2005, Muted voices of powerless poor "oily" Africans, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/90921
