The World Bank Becomes Interested in Malaria Control (15)
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I agree with you, but see the need to go further to examine the
following issues:
(a) Africa was underdeveloped by the west (colonialism) and is
yet to come to terms with this. I do not see merit in asking the
west to recompense Africa for what was done during that time.
The division of Africa into French, British, German, Belgian
etc. zones still affects us - we do not see each other as sail-
ors in the same ship, needing to work together to grow. We are
independent, sovereign... and broke; subject to coups, corrup-
tion, dumping of illegal goods, traffic of persons, authoritar-
ian rule, genocide, TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and others.
(b) Africa has agreed to be colonialised even after independence
(neo-colonialism). This is where elites, sometimes in associat-
ing with the west, in the newly independent countries took up
the former "white" jobs, residences, hospitals, schools, etc.
and created divisions based on "class" (see Colin Leys, Underde-
velopment in Kenya, the Political Economy of Neo-Colonialism,
1964-1971, Heinemann Educational Books, London, 1975). Their po-
litical economy dictates that access to good schools, hospitals,
etc. be based on one's closeness to the ruling elite or politi-
cal currency (in terms of votes), and not the ability to con-
tribute to national GDP.
Additionally, the help received in terms of foreign aid is tied
to conditions that have generally done more harm than good in
terms of locking the recipient country to the donor. Sometimes,
the aid given requires the recipient country to buy services or
goods from the donor which may be more expensive than if sourced
from other countries. This has created a donor dependency / pro-
ject syndrome that is yet to be done away with by most African
nations.
(c) In relation to (a) above, initiatives to break the cycles
that lock Africa into the same meaningless cycles do not seem to
have currency. See for example the OAU, break up of the EAC, and
other regional imbalances.
We now have NEPAD and the African Union. We also have the New
Sudan. Somalia is getting back on track. These efforts need to
be strengthened.
(d) The west also suffers from a perspective of Africa that may
not be right, for example focussing on Africa only when disas-
ters happen. In spite of having diseases, poor infrastructure
etc., Africa still boasts some of the world's best tourist des-
tinations, heritage sites, and economic potential. For example:
if proper commercial farming was to be done, Mozambique need not
suffer famine. If her hydroelectric potential was to be fully
developed, East and Central Africa would have power for decades
to come. Take the case of Southern Sudan - her oil can meet the
needs of some of East and Central Africa's oil needs.
It is my contention that we are in a situation that we did not
create. Additionally, there are cases where we are the cause of
our problems. We have not solved these problems and continue to
perpetuate them.
It is my contention that Africa can do what China or any other
Asian Tigers have done. We have the technological expertise and
resources do this. We also have an enormous market for the goods
and services we shall produce.
It is my contention that we need not suffer from diseases that
we are able to control.
The question to me and my fellow Africans is what do we do from
here?
Patrick Mbindyo
mailto:pmbindyo@magricon.com