Humankind continues to face a myriad of significant global challenges in today‘s world. One of the most pressing of these issues is warfare, of which there are more than 70 armed conflicts currently in play.
It is estimated that over 370,000 people died last year due to direct war violence, and at least 800,000 more indirectly. 200,000 civilians were killed because of the fighting at the hands of all parties to the conflict and in excess of 10 million became war refugees and displaced persons.
These horrifying statistics clearly place a heavy burden on all of us. To ensure a sustainable future, all nations must play their role in trying to alleviate people’s suffering and make the world a better place
And while terrorism and illegal migration command so much media attention, it seems easy to forget the many other daunting problems including pandemics of HIV/AIDS and other diseases, malnutrition and lacking clean water as well as climate change.
There is no doubt that most of these issues are linked to poverty, with the Developing World facing the direst consequences. And the growing gap between rich and poor must be one of the greatest threats to the stability and future wellbeing of our world.
After nearly 30 years of democratic development, the Czech Republic is now among the 35 richest countries in the world, surely making it morally obliged to help less prosperous nations. Happily, this country has an impressive record for generousity in the form of granting financial aid in many regions across the globe.
But the argument for such charity extends way beyond morality and ethics. The provision of assistance enables the country to further its own interests and enhances its position in our interconnected world. Increased economic potential of developing countries inevitably strengthens the global economy which offers expanded business opportunities to Czech companies.
Participation in international activities strengthens bilateral political, economic and cultural relations with many countries and contributes to an improved security situation, at both regional and global levels.
Development cooperation has, therefore, become an important component of Czech foreign policy. It should be a source of much pride to know that the Czech Republic actively supports the implementation of many impressive development projects, offers scholarships enabling students to enrol at Czech universities, provides humanitarian aid, and much more.
The terrible civil war in Syria has had adverse consequences that have spread way beyond that country’s borders causing a refugee crisis that has destabilizing impacts in Europe and has given rise to populistic nationalism and Neo Nazism.
Turning a blind eye to the heart-wrenching events in Syria potentially threatens the fabric of our society here in the Czech Republic.
The joint effort of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Administration of State Material Reserves and Czech Embassy in Damascus in organising cargoes of humanitarian aid for Syria makes good sense. These shipments contain much-needed provisions for the innocent victims of this seemingly intractable conflict.
In addition, the Czech Republic provides medical care, temporary dwelling, food and education to the Syrian population within the country as well as for refugees in the nearby countries. In 2016 such aid amounted to the sum over 200 million Czech Crowns and this figure will substantially grow this year.
Last year, Czech state money went to the victims of wars in Iraq and African countries as well. And one fifth of the aid budget was allocated to the areas in the world hit by natural disasters, including help after the catastrophic floods in Burma, Macedonia and Sri Lanka as well as to the earthquake-hit localities in Nepal and Ecuador and to combat drought in some of the worst afflicted southern African states.
The Czech Republic also supported long-term displaced inhabitants in Burma, Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan and Palestinian refugees in Gaza. In all, the Czech Foreign Ministry funded 38 projects in 25 countries.
Despite of what seems to me as perfect sense, both pragmatically and ethically, there is sadly quite a lot of negative propaganda about foreign aid with apparently few knowledgeable people around to defend it, and the recipients kept alive by it don’t vote in Czech elections.
There are critics who say that aid is wasted, is a huge budgetary burden, that it demeans the recipients or that it’s no longer effective or needed in the 21st century.
The simple fact is that some aid is wasted and other aid is used brilliantly. The main issue is whether the aid directly supports the work of local professionals saving lives, growing food, installing rural electricity, and teaching children, or whether the aid goes instead to foreign warlords or for the benefit of companies.
Surely it is our responsibility to fund the aid that works, and when aid has been demonstrated to work, as in public health and education, to expand the assistance as it’s needed by the poorest of the poor.
There is much evidence that aid works when its main purpose is to finance supplies such as medicines and solar panels, and the staffing by local workers in public health, agronomy, hydrology, ecology, energy, and transport.
Nor is aid demeaning. Such benevolent funding enables HIV-infected mothers to stay alive and raise their children. Aid enables a child in an impoverished country to escape death or permanent disability from malaria, which is actually a 100 percent treatable disease. Aid enables a poor child to go to a school fitted with computers, solar power, and wireless connectivity.
It is about the richer doing what they should for the poorer people in our world.
But the moral justification of aid, as powerful and adequate as it is, is matched by an equally important case of self-interest. Aid is a matter of Czech national security and economic interest, and it is key to supporting sustainable development.
By Jonathan Wootliff