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QUESTION 1 Africa Paradox
QUESTION 1 Africa Paradox
QUESTION 1 Africa Paradox
“The painful paradox of African development in the world economy is that, even though
Answer:
The land known today as Africa has been home to civilization since the beginning of human
settlements as we know it. During the age of Greek and Roman civilization, Africa as known to
the world at the time, pertained to the area covering Egypt, Tunisia (Carathage), Sudan, Morocco
and a host of Moorish civilizations (Evans, 1933). The advent of growth in the sea trade and the
age of conquests lead to the discovery of inner lands and older civilisations from around the
West Coast of Africa to the southernmost part of the continent. Since then, a land which was
largely unknown became the center for trade and commerce for all varieties of goods.
Eventually, the cities of Africa became colonies of powerful European states and empires
(Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Denmark, Portugal, Netherlands, among others). In all of these
transitions, the land has been noted to have vast wealth in terms of resources as recorded by
Africa’s wealth of resources span food, land, livestock, water and minerals. Africa is home to
huge natural resources and rich ecosystems. The continent is richly endowed with fertile land
and with important natural resources, which include renewable resources (such as water, forests,
and fisheries) and non-renewable resources (minerals, coal, gas, and oil) (minerals, coal, gas, and
oil). Many economies in Africa are dominated by natural resources and are vital to the lives of
people's living on the continent (Rodney, 2010). These resources form the basis of revenue and
livelihood for vast parts of the people of Africa and are the main source of governmental revenue
Despite this wealth of resources, many African countries have been limited in terms of growth
and development. According to the Patel (2018), one in three Africans live below the global
poverty line, making up 70% of the global poor. Writing for the World Bank, Schoch and Lakner
(2020) note that, Africa is the poorest country in the world with majority of its inhabitants living
below poverty lines. Africa’s underdevelopment is translated in its low levels of education, poor
health options, and high deaths resulting from lack of access to medical care; as well as
widespread poverty and hunger. In Africa there are so many problems and challenges that
confronts nearly every country, with just a few countries achieving a level of success in some
dimensions.
The paradox herein is that, how can a continent with so much, have so little to show for it.
People living in areas rich with resources must at the very least, benefit from the gains obtained
from these resources. However, Africa suffers whiles the rest of the world is made better with
resources from Africa. A number of reasons have been used to explain is lacunae. For many
development experts, the problem of Africa is profound and can be traced to a number of
reasons, all of which are inextricably linked (Robinson & Acemoglu, 2012). However, if context
is to be used, a blanket response to “why Africa is rich, yet poor”, is easily a case of
A more proper breakdown of this claim is to suggest that, numerous reasons accrue to Africa’s
poverty. First, Africa’s leadership has consistently failed to implement the right growth
promotion policies and to ensure that strong institutions are in place. As a result, in many parts of
the continent, it is very difficult to make the big push towards diversification and development of
manufacturing in the resource-rich parts of Africa. Much of Africa is not industrialized to the
point where can there be effective use of its resources. In the end, Africa’s rich wealth has been a
variable in a long chain of extraction and exploitation, of which the continent gains little at the
end. The continent is thus stuck in a staple trap, dependent on exports of a few mineral resources.
This failure of natural resource wealth to lead to the expected economic growth and development
has also been linked to interference by other countries, who seek to profit off Africa’s wealth, at
the expense of Africa. This can be alluded to the cases of colonization, neo-colonization and
modern international trade systems, which are often unfair to Africa. In Chang’s (2002), Kicking
Away the Ladder, he mentions the role of superpowers and international organisations, in putting
developing nations on the continent of Africa at a disadvantage from the policies they push and
implement.
There is no other continent that possesses as many valued resources as possible, and so many
diverse European settlers have conquered and divided no land for as long as in the case of Africa.
Africa's challenges are unique. Nonetheless, Africa has to undergo changes in order to
turnaround the dire economic situation of its citizens. It would be beneficial for the continent to
undergo important changes in the aspects of governance and leadership, with important
economic reforms. This rise must however be accelerated, since the experts warn of the potential
Evans, S. (1933). The wealth of Africa. Journal of the Royal African Society, 32(126), 12-20.
Patel, N. (2018). "Figure of the Week: Understanding Poverty in Africa." Brookings, Brookings,
Accessed on 18th June 2021 from www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2018/11/21/figure-of-
the-week-understanding-poverty-in-africa/.
Robinson, J. A., & Acemoglu, D. (2012). Why nations fail: The origins of power, prosperity and
poverty. London: Profile.
Schoch, M. & Lakner, C., (2020). The number of poor people continues to rise in Sub-Saharan
Africa, despite a slow decline in the poverty rate. World Bank Blogs. Accessed on 18th June 2021
from <https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/number-poor-people-continues-rise-sub-saharan-
africa-despite-slow-decline-poverty-rate>
AFRICA AT 60: RETROSPECT, ACHIEVEMENTS, FAILURES AND FUTURE
PROSPECTS
Introduction
In the summer of 1980, Zimbabwe the last standing African colony of a European power
(Britain), gained its independence. For the first time in a long time, the rule of the county
belonged to citizens of the country. This was the last in a series of events that was officially set
in motion in Ghana, 1957 by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who led Ghana to independence as the first
African country to do so. For a long time, a land which was proliferated with over a thousand
diverse ethnic groups, was now to be governed in statehoods and countries. Africa’s
independence sixty (60) years ago makes the continent young as compared to its peers, and yet
At the dawn of independence in the 1960s, Africa's founding fathers and contemporaries set as
their goal the eradication of poverty, ignorance, and disease from the continent. However, this
challenge has proven to be quite elusive despite positive indications for the continent. The
challenge is even more worrying considering the fact that countries with similar resources and
experiences like Africa have significantly changed their fortunes. As Africa continues to age, it is
in order to make an assessment of the continent, in terms of its achievements, failures and
prospects.
Achievements
growth which, for the past five years, has exceeded population increase (Amankwah‐Amoah,
2019). This can be attributed to several internal and external explanatory factors: peace and
stability; improved governance; economic reforms; and stronger donor support, in particular debt
relief. All these are factors, which have inspired greater confidence, stimulated investment flows,
most of which has continued. Significant demographic changes have occurred across the
continent, including significantly greater levels of urbanization. Literacy levels are currently
significantly higher than they were at the time of independence. Following the indigenization of
the African civil service and the beginnings of industrialization, new social classes have risen
(Jordans, Ng’weno, & Spencer-Oatey, 2020). Today’s booming world economy is, in part,
supported by Africa’s commodities. Africa supplies 30% of China’s oil. Africa’s exports drive
Metropolitan areas have become breeding grounds for immense cultural innovation, new
competition, and new partnerships. Significant investment was made in the social sector,
particularly education, to counteract Africa's colonial legacy of being the world's most
educationally backward area. As a result of these social initiatives, there has been a significant
Failures
Despite these successes of Africa’s growth, Africa has failed in some key dimensions. First, the
persistence of bad governance has impacted seriously on Africa’s fortunes. This is rife to the
point that, ills like corruption have gained foothold in Africa. Most African countries have come
levels of per capita income; weak development of human capital; exploitation of natural-resource
base; low levels of production; and challenging institutional variables such as governance, peace
and security. Africa has extremely low levels of human-capital formation, as measured by levels
of literacy and school enrolment. Even worse, Africa remains the region with the highest
illiteracy rates and least access to basic health and social services.
Most African countries have preserved a major legacy of colonialism, that is, concentration of
export earnings on one or few primary commodities that are highly vulnerable to exogenous
Prospects
The misfortune in Africa is not that its countries are poor, but rather is a condition that is a
product of history. The misfortune is that it does not have ruling classes dedicated to prevailing
over the state of underdevelopment. Bad governance is not a principal predicament of lack of
Policies aimed at controlling or reducing corruption in African countries must begin with laying
the foundation for a strong institution- economic, political and social- in all sectors of the
economy. Africa also has a huge human resource potential, being the most youthful and
populous continent. This young population, if skilled, can be turned into a major opportunity.
According to UN Habitat, most Africans at that time will be living in urban areas; already in
some countries more than 50% of Africans live in cities with 230 million in slums.
References