Axelle Kabou

Axelle Kabou (* 1955 in Douala , Cameroon ) is a French journalist and author specializing in development aid . She studied economics and communication science and worked for a long time as a development policy advisor.

Well known - and controversially discussed - her 1991 under the title Et si l'Afrique refusait le développement? published polemic and sharp criticism of the unwillingness and inability of Africans and their elites to develop the African continent on their own without seeking help from outside. Today there are a number of African intellectuals such as Roger Tagri , George Ayittey , Andrew Mwenda , James Shikwati or Chika Onyeani who agree with Axelle Kabou's findings. Parallels can also be found with the German development politician Brigitte Erler ( SPD ).

In traditional development aid, Kabou criticizes the naivety as well as the role as vicarious agent of the local powerful. The perpetrators are always the other, the victims are always Africans, a ritual of glossing over and blaming connects black elites and white helpers.

literature

Axelle Kabou: Neither poor nor passed out. A pamphlet against black elites and white helpers. Lenos Verlag, 1993, ISBN 978-3-85787-724-7 (5th edition 2009).

Individual evidence

↑ Brigitte Erler: Deadly Aid Report from my last business trip in terms of development aid. Hayit Discourse, ISBN 3-87322-081-4 .
↑ Bartholomäus Grill : Bring back the white man! Africa's frustration with its helpers: Some want new colonial rulers who really clean up. The others would like to throw her out. In: Die Zeit 01/2006, p. 23.

personal data
SURNAME	Kabou, Axelle
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Cameroonian journalist, author and development aid specialist
DATE OF BIRTH	1955
PLACE OF BIRTH	Douala , Cameroon

[1] Brigitte Erler: Deadly Aid Report from my last business trip in terms of development aid. Hayit Discourse, ISBN 3-87322-081-4 .

[2] Bartholomäus Grill : Bring back the white man! Africa's frustration with its helpers: Some want new colonial rulers who really clean up. The others would like to throw her out. In: Die Zeit 01/2006, p. 23.