Dahuyan,
From a US perspective, Africa as a continent has to be secured against the proliferation of armed groups and terrorist organisations such as AQIM, the Sheebab…
This is for the Saharan part of Africa: a huge sea of sand almost empty and open to any kind of traffic.
When it comes to the West coast, you find the problematic of Liberia/Ivory Coast/Sierra Leone/Guinea (the Mano River problematic). This needs to be stabilised and US should definitively stop working against the interest of their allies (like France…). The question there is raw materials (Cocoa, coffee, iron, rubber, diamonds…) and small arms and drug.
When you go to the horne you have the problematic of the petrol sea road and the Somali pirates. Also you have the problematic of small arms and drug.
In Central Africa, you have, well name it: diamonds, rare minerals, gold, uranium, oil… And an all bunch of countries that need to go out of civil war. They need to build credible invest environment for them to attract major companies. And small arms and drug…
In Southern Africa, JMA must know better than me, you have agricultural products, drug and small arms…
To say that there is room for US and other to come and support the emerging new Africa. The thing is that US, as the Europeans should be in position to condition their support to respects of engagements (I know easier to say than to do). The trick is that you have wild players as China who wants to put a feet in Africa and does not give a sierra about Africa. But they will have to come to the same view than the westerners: what you need in Africa is a safe investing environment.
As Tom and JMA pointed previously, you have talents in Africa. The shame is that they need to expatriate out side of the continent to make money and ENJOY it.
So the main question is: is it worst for US to keep on strengthening the democratic agenda (Good governance, human rights, democratisation…) in Africa. China has taken the decision to not play by that agenda and they have the financial means to not play it.
As JMA pointed so well, many leaders are ready to take that hand because following the “westerner” path will bring them one day or another to face ICC or trial from their population.
Recently, they also decided to go by the “chosen colonisation” with China and India by selling them land for Indian and Chinese to make it productive (just like African people were bad farmers…).
China and India have chosen to do cooperation in Africa through private sector. Soon will come the day both of them will need a secured economical and legal environment. Just like west.
And there is the nuclear question with its dirty roads.
I do believe that the democratic agenda has to be kept but may be promoted through the need of safe economical environment rather than through the problematic of Human Rights. It’s like a package and all depend on what angle you look at it. It’s more attractive if there is private business, at what all African people are very good at, than high moral values that no one is willing to look at closely, including US and western powers.
Saying so, Uganda and Rwanda are not a real model because, just like Ivory coast, the question is: what after the strong man? And for the moment it is, just like Louis 14 said: apres moi le deluge...
Here are my 0.2$ incentives.
M-A
Bookmarks