While the United States often prides itself on global philanthropy, this charity may be handicapping nations in the long run.

“It is Western assistance to Africa that stifles the evolution of institutions of change in Africa,” said Andrew Mujuni Mwenda, current Knight Fellow at Stanford University and award-winning Ugandan journalist.

Mwenda spoke to a crowd of more than 50 people on “Africa and the Curse of Foreign Aid” in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union on Sunday afternoon.

“There is one clear argument: The government should provide a liberating environment to provide the private sector an opportunity to generate economic revenue,” Mwenda said. He explained that in providing economic assistance, Western countries are removing the African governments’ accountability to its citizens.

“We have been rendered irrelevant in our own country, because ‘he who pays the piper chooses the tune,'” Mwenda said.

Mwenda questioned whether certain African nations actually needed foreign aid, saying this support allows a focus on resource consumption as opposed to investment in the future. For example, Mwenda said many of Uganda’s 114 presidential advisors haven’t even encountered the president.

“[Western civilization] is helping the government of Uganda sustain an obese government,” Mwenda said.

As an alternative, Mwenda suggests that foreign aid be distributed to the citizens or private sector of developing nations, with a focus on education and sustainability.

“It is more important that people have a vested interest in education, and when people pay for a service, they have a vested interest.” Mwenda said. Mwenda also addressed the genocide in Rwanda, but noted civil war may be necessary for change.

“Why does President Clinton think it is up to him to solve [the genocide in] Rwanda? Can’t Rwanda help itself?” Mwenda said.

He recommended that instead of scrambling to bring in foreign soldiers, Western powers should have given support to the rebel troops, which he estimated could have ended the genocide in 10 days as opposed to its 100-day span.

Students attending the lecture expressed varying opinions about American foreign support.

“We blindly assume foreign aid is good, but sometimes it isn’t always 100 percent beneficial,” said Andrew Dust, junior in economics. Dust decided to attend the lecture after hearing about it through the lectures program.

“There are definite positives [to foreign aid] and it’s still something that the U.S. should be doing,” Dust said. Other students also condone the United States’ decision to provide foreign aid.

“I think that foreign aid is good because it encourages positive relations around the world,” said Amy Goldsmith, junior in graphic design.