AFRICAN POVERTY- WHOM TO BLAME??

AFRICAN POVERTY- WHOM TO BLAME??

Poverty in Africa- The causes

The facts about poverty and its root causes do not stop our political leaders telling us how generous we are to Africa. Of how much they care about doing something about it. And of how proud they are (and we should be too) of the amount rich countries give in aid. It’s time our political leaders gave us an honest account and told us the truth about the world’s relationship with Africa.

The true story of Africa’s billion dollar losses

 The Global South is being drained of resources by the rest of the world and it is losing far more each year than it gains. Africa alone loses few hundred billion dollars each year to the rest of the world. This is mainly in profits made by foreign companies, tax dodging and the costs of adapting to climate change. Whilst rich countries often talk about the aid their countries give to Africa, this is in fact much less than what Africa loose each year. The idea that we are aiding Africa is flawed; it is Africa that is aiding the rest of the world.

This money that Africa loses each year is over one and half times the amount of additional money needed to deliver affordable health care to everyone in the world. If the rest of the world continues to raid Africa at the same rate, over the next 10 years $580 billion will be lost by the African people.

Many of Africa’s loses directly benefit rich countries. They are a result of policies and practices that drain Africa and keep its people in poverty. These include tax dodging, unfair trade policies and the practices of multinational companies, and the brain drain of skilled workers.

Life is very short. Enjoy it by sharing the knowledge, wealth with deprived sections rather than joining hands with nexus exploiting them left and right.

Will the best brains in world find sustainable solutions to Africa’s poverty?

Africa’s steady economic growth and positive socioeconomic indicators are yet to translate into benefits and opportunities for all men and women on the continent. Persistent inequality, poverty and inequity in access to social services and economic opportunities, particularly for youth, the aged, persons with disabilities and women, are creating deficits in human development, and slowing progress towards achieving development and democracy goals. Member States must develop and implement progressive social policies and practices to address this challenge.

Can the economic brains of Harvard University and those of Oxford and alike explain how the richest continent in natural resources in the world be the poorest on earth?   Africa, the unfortunate, has been the yoyo of the US and the Europe.  Two cities set the world's commodities prices, i.e., London for precious metals and Chicago for the agri. commodities and much more today.  This means that the West, indirectly, still sets the prices for all of the African continent's goods such as precious metals, agriculture etc.  A good example is how much a cocoa grower in Africa gets compared to a chocolate bar made by Nestle?  Idem for coffee, precious stones and metals, oil and gas as well as agriculture. 

To add insult to injuries there are two entities, the World Bank and the IMF that specialises in sophisticated economic ruin, which put a final seal of death on that continent disguised, though, as a good cause missionary entities.   Please read THE ECONOMIC HIT MAN by John Perkins because Harvard and Oxford will never tell you the truth.

Can the world understand the real facts for Africa’s present crisis and help them to come of it with dignity?

l  Though life expectancy in Africa increased considerably in last decade still it is lowest and lower than 50 in many countries. This is one reason for Africans not showing interest in leading a planned life with good carrier and wealth creation and getting influenced by alcohol & drugs.

l  In absence of formal marriage & family bondage ( most of the cases), the live in relationship, multiple relations leading into destitute children, further leading to rip offs/antisocial elements.

l  In absence of use of contraceptives ( more due to religious beliefs), the average children/mother is around six, resulting in huge population growth.

l  Though these countries are independent, still colonial rule is very much prevalent. The British, French still encourage few feudalistic leaders with their investments in those countries and dictatorship is prevailing under the cover of independence.

l  Essentially control over resources and income is based on military, political and economic power that typically ends up in the hands of a minority, who live well, while those at the bottom barely survive (harmful economic systems).

l  The deforestation to meet requirements of Europe, resulting into soil erosion, desertification, and climate changes resulting in reduced agricultural production.  

l  Taking advantage of their helplessness situation, branding them as thieves and not trustworthy, and exploit them by charging exorbitant rates for inputs, food, transport etc under the cover of risk mitigation.

l  Near total control of Africa’s natural resources by west and china, through political management and through few vested interest groups.

l  Pushing these economies into debt through funding infrastructure projects (mainly to harvest Africa’s mineral wealth) and other projects with high interest rates helping few individuals. 

Hope the international funding agencies, aid agencies, bi-laterals, human rights activists will understand the real problems of Africa. If possible let us genuinely help them, but certainly stop exploiting their helplessness.

STOP COLLECTING COINS THROWN ON DEAD BODIES.

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Note: Thanks to the friends & other publishers helped me in writing this article