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From Aid to Autonomy: Africa Should Chart New Path for Its Development, Ethiopian Scholar Says

© Photo SORAFrom Aid to Autonomy: Africa Should Chart New Path for Its Development, Ethiopian Scholar Says. AI-generated image.
From Aid to Autonomy: Africa Should Chart New Path for Its Development, Ethiopian Scholar Says. AI-generated image. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 22.05.2025
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Foreign aid is often used as a tool for neocolonial control, cultural influence, and resource extraction in African countries — rather than genuine development, an Ethiopian researcher pointed out.
To move from dependency on the West's aid, African nations need to build self-reliance by strengthening local capacities, developing independent economies, and nurturing strong institutions, senior researcher at Ethiopia's Institute of Foreign Affairs Tesfaye Bezabih told Sputnik Africa.
"We must work together on how to create a society that is independent of aid[…] Therefore, I believe that we must have 'proactive leadership' that can anticipate and predict what the future may hold," the researcher noted.
The expert called for a paradigm shift — one that focuses on education, research, and strategic planning.
"Dependency weakens sovereignty. Self-reliance strengthens it," he stressed.
To move the development of the African continent forward, Tesfaye urges to:
strengthen internal capabilities through regional integration;
develop better trade systems and partnerships;
properly utilize natural resources;
build inclusive democracies where citizens are equal and heard.
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