On Friday, 28th November, the Exeter Union, colloquially known as the Debating Society, hosted ‘’The Future of Foreign Aid and Development’’ panel event. These events are supposed to be more cordial in nature, contrasting the often-confrontational style of debates.
From left to right sat the Brazilian Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Antonio De Aguiar Patrota, Consulting Fellow for the Africa Programme at Chatham House, Paul Melly, and retired diplomat, Robert Dewar CMG. An enthralling event hosted by the Debating Society, with figures of diverse experiences and outlooks on the topic. Each party started with an opening speech to the audience, each with different ideas, but the sentiment that foreign aid is not doing enough was reiterated.
Foreign aid is not doing enough
His Excellency opened by focusing on ‘’reducing military budgets… and enhancing diplomacy’’ as factors affecting the effectiveness of foreign aid. He was also keen to mention that nuclear weapons and countries failing to tackle climate change were not helping the matter.
Dewar, in both his opening and closing speeches, made it clear that optimism is key to foreign aid and laid out five key areas which must be addressed. Accordingly, these may be summarised as addressing climate change and, like His Excellency, ensuring that cooperation is greater across the developed and developing world. Interestingly, Dewar said that ‘’poverty at home must be addressed’’ before alleviating the hardship of those abroad.
‘’Poverty at home must be addressed’’ before alleviating the hardship of those abroad.
Melly brought a more pragmatic outlook in comparison. Accordingly, foreign aid is of a ‘’multi-layered and complex nature’’, with countries offering ‘’too little too late’’ in African countries like Sierra Leone. Melly had seen firsthand the success that grassroots approaches have in poorer countries, and the developing world fails to appreciate the effectiveness of such schemes.
In usual Debating Society routine, following the opening statements, the chairman turned to audience questions. These included how governments can convince the taxpayer that international aid is beneficial, and whether international aid is a moral obligation the developed world has.
To conclude the event, sponsored by the Calancombe Estate, wine is routinely given as a prize for the best question asked at the Friday debate. The question that won this week was regarding Brazil’s position on foreign aid to Ukraine. His Excellency suggested that Western aid will be reduced if the nearly four-year long conflict sees no end, though he emphasises his country’s support for Ukraine and those who break international law.
