Africa: Needs a Ride, Anyone Interested?

Africa

Africa, the oldest civilization on Earth, has been in turmoil since the beginning. Even now civil wars, internal strife is common in countries like Congo. The continent has over a billion people and natural resources, however it is yet to capitalize on it and flourish. What is stopping Africa to become like America & China? What will it need for them to bring about this change? Would it be external countries or there would be leaders & inventors like Abraham Lincoln, James Watt, Issac Newton, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, who would walk in this continent? Let us explore in this blog. Below is a set of chronological set of events in the history of Africa up to the present times.

History of Africa

The oldest civilization of man existed in Africa from 1.9million BC. The Egyptian rule formed its existence from 3300BC  up-to the 7th Century. Alexander, the Great formed Alexandria in Egypt which would go on to form the center for Roman rule. This part of Africa area was then integrated into the Roman system. From the 9th to the 18th century, organization was majorly local and existed in terms of families or small states (More than 10000). From the 17th to the 20th Century, major slave trade existed in Africa. In the 19th century, the European powers fought for domination over Africa. History of Africa in a nutshell.

History of Africa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Africa

Civil War

Africa has been rife with civil wars, coups and internal strife. Wars like Congo civil wars, East African Campaign War, Boer War, etc and more than 42 coups, have drained her resources and left her with devastation, poverty and diseases.

First Congo War: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Congo_War
Second Congo War: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Congo_War
East African Campaign War: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_African_Campaign_%28World_War_I%29
Boer War: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Boer_War
Coups: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat

Economy

Africa‘s GDP is about $2.5 billion with 1 billion people to survive. Africa has natural resources – Oil, Metals, Diamonds, Fish, Animals. It has a developed agricultural industry however it lacks in manufacturing, services. Africa is yet to experience the manufacturing & services miracle which countries like USA, Japan, China, Russia have experienced and India is on the way.

Economy of Africa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Africa

Poverty, Disease, Mortality Rate

Africa is stricken with poverty & diseases due to long periods of instability, civil wars and lack of progress. The reasons for all of these are similar to that of India’s (however India has the advantage of being one country with 1 billion people whereas Africa has more than 50 countries with 1 billion people again). The problems are like tribe wars, corruption, lack of leaders with vision.

External Influence from Countries

Arab Countries

Arab has considerable influence in the past in influencing trade in Africa through introduction of camel, maritime industry. Arab Africa’s economy is closely linked to the economies of Europe & Middle-East.

Arab Africans: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_World, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Arab

America
America has been and would be investing in Africa. However the companies of America need a initial stable environment before they can provide value to the region and themselves. Anything they do would be for the long run (100+ years). Extreme patience would be required from both sides in order for mutual benefit.

African-American Studies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_American_studies

China
China has had a rich history of relations with Africa and has invested more than $1 billion in Africa currently. The investment and partnership would be crucial for Africa if it has to lift majority of its people out of poverty and disease (it can follow the China story)

China Africa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-African_relations

The African Icons around the World

Leaders like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Tiger Woods, Barack Obama have made a mark around the world. They represent what any African can do in this world.

Martin Luther King: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.
Rosa Parks: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_parks
Tiger Woods: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_woods
Bolt: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usain_bolt
Obama: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

What next?

Africa, one of the most populous places, is also the most underdeveloped regions on Earth. The common man of Africa is yet to get his share of place in this World. What will it take for Africa to achieve this? With civil wars, coups, conflicting interest between countries in the same continent, external influence, it will take more than one leader from Africa to change her course to glory. Leaders of the highest quality. A feat which perhaps no leader in the world has dared to undertake yet. Africa calling? Anyone interested?

*** In Accra, you say ‘meeng-gah-bou’ for ‘Hello’.
* Che Guevara in Congo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_guevara#Congo