Dr. Lamin Manneh used to work at the African Development Bank and shared some tough news about money problems. He talked to Voice newspaper reporters about how the fighting near Iran hurts countries across West Africa. Global donors are sending their cash to help with that conflict instead of supporting places like Gambia. West African nations depend on outside money to run their governments and build things. The war has changed where rich countries decide to spend their aid dollars.
Countries that need budget help from other nations face serious delays getting their payments. Banks and lenders are making it harder to borrow money at good rates. African governments planned their spending around getting certain amounts of foreign support. The fighting has messed up those plans and left leaders scrambling for funds. Public services like hospitals and schools suffer the most during these cash shortages.
African leaders lose their voice during major world conflicts according to Manneh. Rich nations focus all their attention on the biggest crisis happening at the time. Interest rates keep going up and make borrowing much more expensive for poor countries. African governments end up paying more money for smaller loans than before. Manneh wants African leaders to build stronger economies at home instead of depending on foreign help all the time.
Countries that need budget help from other nations face serious delays getting their payments. Banks and lenders are making it harder to borrow money at good rates. African governments planned their spending around getting certain amounts of foreign support. The fighting has messed up those plans and left leaders scrambling for funds. Public services like hospitals and schools suffer the most during these cash shortages.
African leaders lose their voice during major world conflicts according to Manneh. Rich nations focus all their attention on the biggest crisis happening at the time. Interest rates keep going up and make borrowing much more expensive for poor countries. African governments end up paying more money for smaller loans than before. Manneh wants African leaders to build stronger economies at home instead of depending on foreign help all the time.
