Africans Rising Leader Kumi Naidoo Urges the West to Provide Better Aid, Not Charity

By Samuel Ouma

Kumi Naidoo, the founding chair and Launch Director of Africans Rising for Justice, Peace, and Dignity, has issued a stern rebuke to Western nations, emphasizing that Africans are not interested in receiving charity donations.

Instead, Naidoo called for "quality and better aid" as compensation for the crimes against humanity committed during the colonial period and for the ongoing exploitation of African resources.

Speaking at the All-African Movement Assembly in Accra, Ghana, Naidoo highlighted the historical injustices inflicted upon Africa by colonial powers, which continue to impact the continent today.

He stressed that Africa is not asking for charity but is demanding reparative justice in the form of meaningful and effective aid.

“We are not asking the West to give us charity. We are saying you exploited our resources, and you continue to exploit others. We are asking for nothing less than better and quality aid,” Naidoo asserted during his address to the media.

During the assembly, Naidoo also criticized Western nations for failing to fulfil their commitments to international development.

He pointed out that decades ago, these countries pledged to allocate 0.07% of their national budgets to support underdeveloped nations.

However, only a handful of countries have met this target, leaving many African nations struggling to address their developmental needs.

"Our colonizers committed decades ago that they would allocate less than 1% of their budget for international development. The reality is most of the developed countries did not meet this goal,” said Naido.

The All-African Movement Assembly, which gathered activists, leaders, and representatives from across the continent, served as a platform for discussing Africa's future, emphasizing self-reliance, justice, and equitable partnerships with the global community.

Naidoo's sentiments coincide with a period of increased attention being paid to the economic and developmental issues that African countries are confronting, many of which have their roots in the history of colonial exploitation and unequal global power relations.