Yes, but what can the government do for you?

I know I know, JFK asked us what we could do for our country. I'm in the middle of answering that question. But, according to the Ambassador, the government does a lot for us too! And Malians! He came to speak to us about the MCA (grant from Millennium Challenge Corporation whcih will work on rice paddy improvement/irrigation and an industrial complex + airport make over to allow for less expensive and more direct exportation), the President's malaria initiative (a large grant was given pegged for nets, large scale pond treatment, and wall-spray), and the role of the department of defense. Evidently the trends of poverty reduction interventions are tending toward military and paramilitary operations. For example, we have a group of US army men stationed in Gao to work on development projects. His speech got me thinking.

For one, the cotton subsidies Bread and others are lobbying to be removed from the farm bill this year as it gets reauthorized, are actually not as hurtful to Malian farmers as they are to Indian and Brazilian farmers. Mostly because Mali just doesn't get much for their cotton. They have no grading system and only fetch a single price for cotton whether it be high quality or poor. This is a task the MCA compact outlined as well, a system to grade cotton. There isn't a horrible lack of raw materials in Mali, it is that cashews, shea butter nuts, cotton, gold, salt, etc. must go through many a middle man before it reaches the lucrative markets in the West because Mali doesn't have the infrastructure to process the raw materials nor does it have a viable system of exportation.

The bottom line of the speech was that more development equals more stability. And the US likes having stable friends. The north of Mali is getting a lot of attention lately to placate minorities and to prevent rebellion or secession. But in my opinion, building bridges and roads (Prez ATT's big gift to Gao), radio stations, and spreading phone/Internet communications won't solve ethnic difficulties. The Ambassador is aware Mali meets many standards and criteria for grants (the MCA being particularly selective), but we missed the mark on literacy (especially for women)...and does the US care there is still slavery in the north? I know we often shake a finger at China for disregarding human rights violations in the name of establishing markets for their insane amount of exports (Sudan), but are we also turning a blind eye when we shouldn't? Then again, if money never went out the door, maybe a country like Mali could never develop to the point where it can focus universal rights. Some dorky PCVs and I were just discussing Maslow earlier, and I think it is very true: basic needs must be met before one can strive for more aesthetic goals.