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Why Africa Remain Poor
Muti ThisThe must-read African Executive has an article that discusses why Africa - despite its huge natural resources - remain poor and desolate. Excerpt:
The curse of the continent therefore is not in its resources but rather in its lack of structures that should deny individuals the unfettered freedom to manipulate state power to amass wealth. The second curse is the temptation by experts to build more state owned enterprises, and nationalise subsurface wealth hence giving politicians an excuse to go out on lunch sprees with investors. The third curse is the assumption that subsurface wealth is synonymous with prosperity. Unless the African person tortuously applies his mind on how best to exploit and position his product in the global market – wealthy nations will keep swooping on our resources like eagles on chicken!
This articles adds to the raging debate on AFRICOM, and the need for Africa to explore relationships with external world that wouldn’t perpetuate the master-slave status quo, but strive to empower the continent democratically and economically.
Trade is one area that the United States can explore to gain strong foothold in Africa, and counter Chinese incursion - not necessarily through the establishment of a U.S Military Command base in Africa. Not only will “wealthy nations [like the U.S and China] “keep swooping on our resources like eagles on chicken”, the existing trade relations is slanted in their favor. For example, as long as the American farmers keep receiving government subsidy, African cotton farmers will be always be priced out of the market.
Robert Reich, a Professor of Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, and cabinet member in three national administrations including serving a secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton, writes about the cotton subsidy and wants it nixed:
American cotton growers, for example, export cotton for just over half what it costs them to produce it. Which means more than 10 million African cotton farmers are stymied. If we stopped subsidizing our cotton businesses, world cotton prices would rise, increasing the value of cotton exports from Africa by some $300 million a year.
This is the sort of relations Africa nations need to pursue, not one that continues to militarize the continent under the pretext of fighting terrorism (AFRICOM), nor one that lavishes Sino-dollars on regimes unconditionally in exchange for raw materials, even when evidence indicates such largess are used to sustain tyranny (Sudan and Zimbabwe) and regional feud!
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Oracle | Nov 26, 2007 | Reply
Well, i really wouldn’t say that Africa is poor, especially Nigeria. The money is just not going into the right place.
But we still need to develop on the areas you’ve mentioned
Beauty | Nov 26, 2007 | Reply
When President Robert Mugabe seized power in 1980, Zimbabwe was one of the most prosperous nations in Africa. However, for the past decade, Mugabe has relentlessly repressed political opponents and opposing tribes, and the country’s economy has contracted drastically. Now Zimbabwe is facing chronic food shortages and 70 percent unemployment. I would not blame China for supporting a man of great achievements, devoted to world peace and a good friend of the Chinese people. Robert Mugabe is responsible for the problems in this poor African country
Smith | Nov 26, 2007 | Reply
I think is a false impression to see Nigeria as not being poor. We can’t be considered rich until we are able to convert our latent wealth (natural and human resources) into visible and sustainable wealth that positively impacts the lives of every - or at the very least - majority of Nigerians.
cjw | Nov 30, 2007 | Reply
Why is Africa Poor ?
The African Environment as its stands today does not encourage the kind of Critical, innovative thinking that will take it out of its poverty trap. More to the point those who have this capability are never in the positions were they can influence policy or decide it.
It seems there is a high population of Nigerians on this thread so let me use it as example. This a country that is an example of where everthing has gone wrong in Africa.
Problem : Nigeria with all on its energy resources cannot generate enough power for it industrialization let alone its teeming populace.
When this statement is made its citizens either complain and lament their bad government(a sign of their feeling of powerlesness) or at best say what they think ought to be in very general terms. None of them(that I have ever known) look at the problem critically to come up with a possible solution) “our government is corrupt”, “our country should not be poor” none of these opinions (which are based on accurate observation) have any practical use to the problem at hand.
It is for the Nigerians to come up with innovative solution to present crises and not spend time lamenting their problems.
Suggestion to the power problem(apart from government efforts). Bio-diesel for generators, the various uses of solar power. (these are never discussed) as long as this type of thinking remains in critical places, among the elite, Nigeria, and by extension Africa will remain poor.
Yinka of Lagos | Nov 30, 2007 | Reply
Your observations are accurate cjw! I wonder why its “more convenient” to ramble and rant about what does not work than coming up with workable alternatives. This behaviour, I think, stems from what the style of most newspaper columnists in Nigeria, who hardly proffer ideas or spur their readers to be more forward-thinking, or gear them to engage them to be more of social problem-solvers than commentators (lamentators).
On the flip-side, it can also be argued that “discussing solutions” is merely an academic exercise since the majority policy makers and politicians hardly read newspapers not to mention blogs and online forums.
So for more “forward-thinking discussions” to emerge, I believe, those than call the shots in Nigeria or that can make things happen must be well-tuned in. What is the point of firing verbal shots that fall on deaf ears?
cutieprincess of Philippines | Dec 16, 2007 | Reply
Africa is a really great country but I Think the people is just blind to see how wonderful their country is. They become blind because of power,fame,and wealth.
MIKE | Feb 10, 2008 | Reply
I strongly believe that Africa is poor because of the following:-
The youths simply have become too ‘westernized’ to the extent that they have forgoten their own countries. i say this coz almost all the young people dream of ‘flying out’. Reasons being they they cannot see any orpotunities in their on country!! to me this is craziness…Africa has the most orpotunities more than any other continent on earth, if only the youths can open their eyes and use thier brains wisely….
The other thing is poor leadership…most of our African leaders are either dictators or something close to that. and because of poor leadership, available resouces have been misused or simply stolen and hiden in foreign countries. spending on most espensive lifestyles at the expense of the tax payer, massive corruption, unworthy celebrations etc.
Samuel Doe | Mar 10, 2008 | Reply
The real problem about Afrika in my opinion is that we have so many resources but bad management i.e so called elected leaders. We all have to ask ourselves are we ready to confront these people, and are we ready to challenge them if they decide to heed our concerns. However many of us all can truthfully say if they were to be in the same position he/she will not thing of their pockets. As long as we can change our attitudes from only me to all of us-then Afrika will be ready to move forward. Richer countries can only do so much, ‘cos they don’t owe us jack.
lungu | Aug 11, 2008 | Reply
Most of You think Africa is a country,especially you guys from USA and Philippines, You look like there is no geography in your schools,you are rich in material but empty in your heads.