Muslim Countries: From Regime of Aid-Dependency to Regime Self-Sufficiency

The aim of this paper is to examine the concept of development aid as a mechanism of bilateral or multilateral relationship between developed and developing countries. It is intended to particularly explore its overall effects on sustainable development of developing Muslim countries. An attempt is made to examine some points in this regard by an interpretive methodology within relevant theoretical framework. Previous researches have tried to answer questions why these countries’ economic indices are expressions of wide imbalances in the distribution of incomes and wealth among their citizens with a view to argue that these had been the underlined causes why they have tendency for development aid. This paper reveals that traditionally, development aid used to be relatively non-intrusive. However, it has become re-branded and intensified to the extent that it is now, arguably a mechanism for interventionist global development policy. It has thus led to emergence of a culture of aid-related dependency that may not have much to do with economic or financial supports, but political goals. The consequence is that those nations economic and political agendas are subjected to uncertainty, questionable sustainability, and a tendency of topdown approaches to political and social involvement. The overall contribution of this paper is to highlight and place emphasis on some basic elements that can assist these countries to sustain their development agenda. These elements include good governance, rules of law, respect for human rights, education and culture of hard work.