Foreword
Africa is a continent in crises: famine, civil wars, AIDS, environmental degradation, economic disintegration, political tyranny, social destitution, and state-sponsored terrorism. Angola, Ethiopia, Libena, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, and Zaire are virtually destroyed. More distressing, other African countries are edging inexorably into a similar abyss of self-destruction.

Corruption, economic mismanagement, inane civil wars and capital flight constantly plague a continent that is saddled with a huge foreign debt. Civil wars have devastated the economies of many African countries, uprooted innocent civilians and created a massive refugee problem. Living standards have declined absymally since independence in the 1960s. Agricultural growth has been negligible and widespread food shortages pose a constant threat to survival.

Africa's record on political and human rights has been worse than appalling. Torture, wanton executions and pillage are daily orchestrated by regimes with palpable contempt for human life and decency. Tyranny and flagrant denial of basic civil liberties are rampant on a continent that has more dictators per capita than any other region in the world.

The situation remains bleak despite noble efforts by multilateral lending institutions (World Bank, IMF, and UNDP) and Westem donor governments to reverse Africa's economic atrophy. Hundreds of billions of Westem aid were spent to support reform in Africa and the services of thousands of Westem experts and management consultants were engaged. But the results have been disappointing. Is there any hope for Africa in the 1990s and beyond?

[Previous] [Next]