Putting our House in Order Recasting G8 policy towards Africa

Article

Arguing that the real obstacles to better policy towards Africa are not technical but political, the authors propose new mechanisms for placing Africa's interests higher on the international political agenda and making G8 countries accountable for the impact of their policies.

"Putting our House in Order offers fascinating new insights into the politics of G8 African policies on aid, debt, trade and arms sales and is innovative in its able establishment of the long-missing causality of the ineffectiveness of G8 development aid to Africa. For these reasons, it is essential reading for anyone involved with development policy, and presents a welcome new hope for African development and the potential for Africa to realise the promise of the Millennium Declaration"

-Development Policy Review

Putting Our House in Order is the most rigorous analysis yet of G8 policy failings towards Africa, including:

  • The misuse of aid and conditionality
  • Unfair trade rules
  • Arms proliferation
  • Corruption and conflict financing
  • Climate change.

Arguing that the real obstacles to better policy towards Africa are not technical but political, the authors propose new mechanisms for placing Africa's interests higher on the international political agenda and making G8 countries accountable for the impact of their policies. They show that the best thing G8 countries can do is to change those aspects of their existing policies that damage and disadvantage the continent.

Related items

  1. Towards universal opportunity for young people

    Outlining a vision for young people which could increase social mobility while also reducing inequality and disadvantage, so that every young person has the opportunity to build a decent life.

  2. One year in: the government is making decent down payments for the years ahead

    It’s fair to say it hasn’t been a straightforward first year for the government. 

  3. Britons back local leaders with fiscal firepower

    “Death and taxes,” they say, are life’s only certainties. But there’s a third - wherever taxes are controlled, power lies.