Although America prides itself on its diplomatic giving and financial support of developing countries, some argue that this very gift may be holding nations back.

Award-winning Ugandan journalist Andrew Mujuni Mwenda will give the lecture “Africa and the Curse of Foreign Aid,” at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union.

Although foreign aid and debt relief are intended to help struggling countries, Mwenda said in his July 2006 Foreign Policy Briefing titled “Foreign Aid and the Weakening of Democratic Accountability in Uganda” that this can intensify Africa’s economic woes because it postpones deep economic reform and lessens government accountability and transparency.

“[Foreign aid in Africa] is a very interesting topic and it can be looked at either way,” said Shannon Sanders, sophomore in pre-journalism and mass communications and treasurer of the ONE Campaign, a student organization working to increase awareness and funding for the poorest countries in the world.

“It is important that people give to the less wealthy countries of the world and these funds can be used to create more sustainability.”

Sanders explained that the ONE Campaign partners with several other organizations, such as Heifer Project International, which works to increase skills and independence in developing nations.

“This seems like a very interesting lecture, and raises some points about third world countries and the manner in which aid is allocated,” said Allison Drtina, sophomore in history.

Aid from other countries comprises 50 percent of Uganda’s current budget – which, Mwenda argued in his July 2006 briefing, lessens the Ugandan government’s need for support from its citizens.

“Talking to the people [of Madagascar], they seemed very grateful for the [United State’s] aid,” said Jessica Crawford, freshman in child, adult and family services.

Crawford visited Madagascar in May 2005 through a program with Catholic Relief Services and is on the Invisible Children committee of the ONE Campaign.

Although foreign aid may temporarily alleviate economic strife, it ultimately sets African nations behind in developing lasting solutions, Mwenda said in his July 2006 briefing.

“I definitely agree that [developing nations] need a strong base. However, it is important that we continue to give to them,” Sanders said.

Mwenda is a current Knight Fellow at Stanford University, and remains the political editor and columnist for Uganda’s leading independent daily, the Daily Monitor.

Mwenda also is the host of a prime-time weekly talk show discussing current affairs, winning a Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Performance by the Uganda Broadcasting Association in 2004.

In addition to this award, Mwenda has won the Michael Ezra Award for Best Talk Show Host in 2003, Journalist of the Year by the New Vision Printing and Publishing Company in 2001 and by the Uganda Press Association in 1999, according to Iowa State’s lectures Web site.

A full text version of Mwenda’s brief is available online at www.cato.org/pubs/fpbriefs/fpb88.pdf.

For more information visit the ISU lectures’ Web site at www.lectures.iastate.edu.