Abstract:
The failure of development in Africa, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, since the
beginning of the post-independence era, has resulted in intense discourse both
in academia and in the public domains. The blame game between the so-called
“developing countries” and their donor counterparts has, over the past six decades,
been an area of intense analysis due to the conditions often imposed by donor
agencies on their recipients. The unequal relationship between the recipient and
the donor has influenced the success and/or failure of donor-funded development
programs. This article is theory-based; and, it examines the skewed relationship
between sub-Saharan African governments and international donor agencies and its
influence on success and/or failures of such interventions. Data was gathered using
a systematic review of the literature with specific focus on themes related to donor
agencies and their relationship with Africa. The analysis was thematic; isolating
key issues relevant to the topic. The article argues that states in sub-Saharan
Africa should manage and govern the seemingly ungovernable donor agencies.
Importantly, politicisation of foreign development assistance for Africa should be
eliminated through approaches that develop solid resource-base and increased
African state capacity manage and govern own affairs with minimal, if any, external
influence of the stultifying donor agencies.
