HUNGARY has removed its veto of 54 billion Euros (58 billion American dollars) for Ukraine. President Biden’s aid bill for Ukraine, if it is passed in the coming weeks, would release $61 billion to the country.

In one swoop, Ukraine will get what the former colonies of European empires may not have received since Independence in the 1950s and 1960s.

The American army invaded Grenada in 1983. In 2019, total American aid to Grenada was less than a million American dollars. For the fourth time, I will quote Sir Ron Sanders.

On American aid to CARICOM countries, he wrote: “The 14-nation independent states of the Caribbean Community have been at the bottom of US official development assistance for decades.
“In 2019, for instance, total US foreign assistance globally was US$47 billion, of which collectively, CARICOM countries received US$338 million or 0.7 percent. For emphasis, that is less than one per cent of the global total.

“Haiti alone received US$268 million of that US$338 million intended for all 14 CARICOM states, leaving the other 13 to share US$70 million only. For nine of the 13 countries, the sum provided did not amount to US$1 million.”

Every leader of a government in the post-colonial world needs to print Sir Ron Sanders’ statistics and wear it on their shirt sleeves forever. Total American dollars in aid for the entire world in 2019 was $47 billion. Ukraine in one swoop will collect $61 billion.

Germany explains its unconditional support for Israel with the following words repeated several times by its chancellor since the genocide in Gaza began: “Israel’s security is German reason of state.” This is how the global media translated it to mean.

But why isn’t Namibia’s security, “German reason of state?” Since the genocide in Gaza begun, Namibia has accused Germany of genocide against the Namibian people and have, in fact, cited Germany’s acknowledgement of such genocide.

Germany did concede in 2021 that it committed genocide in Namibia. After that confession, Germany made an announcement that most Namibians found insulting. Instead of agreeing to reparations, Germany offered a billion Euros in development assistance over 30 years.

The European Union is giving Ukraine 54 billion Euros in one swoop, of which billions would come from Germany. How much is Namibia getting from Germany? I researched Germany’s aid programme to Namibia and found little data.

What I found was that since 1990, Germany has agreed to give development assistance of 1.6 billion Euros spread over a period of decades. In contrast, Israel has received as of 2022, 89 billion Euros in reparations for genocide committed against the Jews. Why the horrible disparity? Does it have to do with ethnicity?

Germany was one of the first countries last week to withdraw funds from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA) on a claim by Israel that some UNWRA employees took part in the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7.

Two dimensions of this situation need to be highlighted. One is – look who is making the accusation. Secondly, what happens to natural justice? Shouldn’t the withdrawal of funds be decided after an investigation?

Many Western states took the decision to stop funding once Israel made the claim without waiting for a UN investigation. UNWRA is the specific international body that is alleviating hunger in Gaza at the moment. The UN has made it pellucid – without UNWRA money, Gaza residents will starve to death.

What lessons should developing countries learn from the decision by the West to halt funding for UNWRA? The lesson is graphic double standards that amount to cultural superiority in international affairs. In each calendar year, there is a day for the observance of human rights, freedom of press, etc…. I can’t speak for other countries; I can only speak for Guyana.

The Western embassies in Guyana hold a function on these days and Guyana is advised to uphold these standards which are vital for the preservation of democracy. But more children and women have died within a two-month period from Israeli bombing in Gaza than in any war in human history.

More journalists have died within a two-month period from Israeli bombing than in any war in human history. More medical personnel have died within a two-month period than in any war in human history.

The year 2024 began with a joke that ironically contains elements of eugenics. A group based in Germany (yes Germany of all countries), named Transparency International has arrogated to itself the right to judge corruption trends around the world using a scale of 0 as very corrupt to 100 as very clean. All western countries are listed as least corrupt, a score Barbados’s Prime Minister is probably still laughing at.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.