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Ian Birrell

Columnist & Foreign Correspondent

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Africa / Aid / Ethiopia

Foreign aid: the final insult

Published in The Mail on Sunday (May 26th, 2013) It is hard to think of many more blessed spots on Earth than the Gambella region of Ethiopia, with […]

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Africa / Congo / Kenya / Rwanda

When democracy is accused of blood on its hands

Published in The Independent (May 13th, 2013) When the new president of Kenya visited London last week for the summit on Somalia, he held a private meeting with our […]

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Aid / Technology

Media short-changes the poor with soft-soap aid coverage

Published in The Guardian (17th March, 2013) For several weeks, BBC television seems to have been dominated by build-up to Friday’s Red Nose Day, with worthy dramas and special […]

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Africa / Aid / General

Aid groups have blinded Britain to the realities of Africa

Published in The Independent (January 9th, 2013) Recep Erdogan, the astute prime minister of Turkey, is on a tour of Africa. His entourage includes 300 business leaders from […]

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Aid

The aid business has grown fat. It’s time there was proper scrutiny

Published in The Spectator (February 18th, 2012) Such a simple question: should Oxfam spend a couple of hundred pounds a month opening up the swimming pool at its […]

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Arts / Books / United States / World

The other Barack: Bigamist, drunk and wife-beater

Published in the Daily Mail (August 12th, 2011) The Other Barack by Sally H. Jacobs (Public Affairs) Shortly after being elected first black president of Harvard Law Review, […]

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Africa / Aid / Arts / Music

The corrosive legacy of Live Aid

Published in the Daily Mail (June 4th, 2011) Like most people of my generation, I can still recall with utmost clarity the moment a bunch of denim-clad rockers […]

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Aid

Despite our noble intentions, aid does not solve problems – it just makes them worse

Published in the Daily Mail (May 18th, 2011) The Marriott Hotel in Islamabad symbolises Pakistan’s profound problems with terrorism and its amazing spirit of survival. Three years ago, […]

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Africa / Economics / Egypt / General / Tunisia

We help the big men steal

Published in The Guardian (February 14th, 2011) I lived for the sake of this country, Hosni Mubarak told Egyptians as he desperately clung to power last week. But in […]

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Aid / China / Rwanda / World

Why are repressive regimes given the succour of British aid?

Published in The Independent (September 17th, 2009) Fifteen years ago, as the horror of genocide ripped apart Rwanda, Paul Rusesabagina became a hero. A humble hotel manager, he […]

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Africa / Aid / General

Big men, bankers and the stench of corruption

Published in The Independent (August 18th, 2009) Frederick Chiluba is a sharp dresser. The one-time bus conductor who rose to become President of Zambia has a fondness for […]

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Ian Birrell is an award-winning columnist, foreign correspondent, feature writer and investigative journalist. He is contributing editor of The Mail on Sunday, a weekly columnist in The i Paper and writes frequently for other papers and platforms. He is also co-founder with Damon Albarn of Africa Express, the acclaimed collaborative music project. (Pictured: Talking to refugees in Iraq fleeing Islamic State)... Read More.

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