Africa is the next China

[The Boss]

The conventional wisdom about China is that it is an emerging superpower, and that it will be a dominant geopolitical and economic force in the 21st century.

Meanwhile, the conventional wisdom about Africa is that it remains a basket case, mired in poor governance, corruption, tyranny, poor infrastructure, and poor human capital.

I would like to suggest that this is exactly backward.

Let's take China first. For all its (dubious) growth numbers, it remains a poor country with enormous challenges. These include, but are not limited to, environmental degradation and the great disparities between the poor, rural areas and the rich, urban, coastal areas. Fundamentally, China is not prepared for the 21st century for two major reasons. The first is political: Despite Western punditry's image of a class of genius technocratic authoritarians who can lead the country's development, the reality of China's regime is that its leaders are enormously corrupt. Many are barely hanging on for life, and there is the very real fear that social tensions in the country could degenerate into open conflict at any moment.

The second is demographic: China is already an aging country, and aging countries do not win the future. And the demographic problem is not only one of age, but also one of sex. Widespread gendercide has created a dramatic gender imbalance. Tens of millions of angry young men who cannot find partners is not a recipe for social harmony and general cultural flourishing.

Now, what about Africa?

Oh, sure, if you want to prove that the clichés about Africa are true, there are countless examples you can name. Zimbabwe is still a basket case. South Sudan is an almost-failed state mired in an atrocious civil war, and Somalia is a totally failed state mired in an atrocious civil war (with the exception of Somaliland). The east of the Democratic Republic of Congo is still a lawless area where governments and various militant groups fight for natural resources. The Western intervention in Libya has disrupted the Sahel region, putting arms in the hands of Islamist groups all over a giant area, destabilizing Mali, Niger, and Chad.

But, on the whole, Africa is clearly getting better, particularly if you think in the long term. Slowly, haltingly, but surely, the number of tyrannical regimes is decreasing, and the number of democracies is increasing.

Corruption, while still endemic, has its days numbered. With growing democratization, governance is improving - again, slowly, haltingly, but surely. Thanks to widespread access to mobile phones and therefore to the internet, the grossest forms of corruption are becoming harder to get away with and transparency is increasing.

The hope is that with improving governance, Africa will enter a virtuous cycle in which more investment begets better governance, which in turn begets even more investment. Less and less, natural resources will be plundered for the sake of an elite. More and more, the dividends will reach the people. More and more, there will be roads and ports and electricity and phones. Malaria, which bleeds so many regions, is being beaten back.

But more importantly, the demographics are in Africa's favor. Many African states are gerontocracies, while Africa is the world's youngest continent. Africa's youngest generation is perfectly aware of corruption and its cost, and its tolerance for it is markedly low. Meanwhile, the old generation and the old way of doing business will one day pass away.

The entire planet is aging. Everywhere, birth rates have shrunk. Everywhere, that is, except sub-Saharan Africa. The countries that look to the future with confidence are the young countries. In 50 years' time, Africa will find itself with hundreds of millions of confident young people. They will be increasingly educated; most of them will speak either English or French or both; and they will be raring to seize the day.

Africa is full of ore and gold and diamonds and oil. But if the ultimate resource is people - and it is - then Africa is poised to be a giant in the 21st century.

Source: theweek

 

[malipula]

Why Africa is the next China

Not with the same type of thinking of our current leaders who lacks patriotism to the mother continent Africa.China has zero tolerance to Corruption while Africa does not have that.
African Leaders would rather steal the money and store them in off shore banks rather than invest them on the welfare of their citizens.
Many African leaders would rather pay lip service to love their people rather than showing it practically.
Additionally, most leaders they like their people to continue being poor and uneducated so that it may be easy to rule them while China leaders are proud to see their people progress economically.

 

[nyumba kubwa]

"Corruption, while still endemic, has its days numbered. With growing democratization, governance is improving — again, slowly, haltingly, but surely. Thanks to widespread access to mobile phones and therefore to the internet, the grossest forms of corruption are becoming harder to get away with and transparency is increasing."

For Tanzania this is becoming a dream; with the upcoming legislation on cybercrime .....

 

[rpg]

Never on earth!

 

[The Boss]

this just brought me back from an emotional breakdown. I am so thankful for the world progress we are making. Africa is the future if we'll utilise our resources properly..

If and a very big if.......

 

[Steven Robert Masatu]

Hii itakuwa baada ya vizazi viwili kuanzia sasa,hapo ndo nitaelewa hii mada lasivyo siye bado sana. Sasa hivi tunachonganishwa kwa sana ili watugawe wachote kilichopo na hicho kidogo walichokibakiza. Hali ni tete sasa kila nchi ina hali mbaya kiuchumi, public spending imeshuka kwa kiwango kikubwa sana. NWO ishatangazwa na utekelezaji ushaanza inamaana tunapaswa kupungua kwanza Duniani.

 

[Maswala]

Ni lazima tuunde "UKAWA" wa Africa, ndio tunaweza kuyaona hayo! Nkuruma na Nyerere waliliona hilo, ila make mkijua kuwa wakati tukiwaza hayo, wenzetu walishatuwekea ratiba kuthibiti.

Kiti kingine cha muhimu mwandishi hakukigusia ni kuwa China ni nchi moja na luigha moja, imani na tamaduni moja, wenye historia hiyo for ages! Sasa Africa tuna makabila, matabaka, dini na mila na destruri tofauti! Pamoja na kwamba tunajua uwezekano wa Africa kukua upo, naamini utachukua muda sana, kutokana na wamagharibi kuingilia process hiyo ili kudhibiti growth hiyo.

 

[Kigogo]

Mawazo ya kipumbafu sana haya..Africa is a continent and China is a country sasa ulinganifu sijui unatoka wapi

 

[msemakweli]

Not with the same type of thinking of our current leaders who lacks patriotism to the mother continent Africa.China has zero tolerance to Corruption while Africa does not have that.
African Leaders would rather steal the money and store them in off shore banks rather than invest them on the welfare of their citizens.
Many African leaders would rather pay lip service to love their people rather than showing it practically.
Additionally, most leaders they like their people to continue being poor and uneducated so that it may be easy to rule them while China leaders are proud to see their people progress economically.

The number one source of illegal financial outflows from Africa is not corrupt leaders but rather multinational coorporations through misinvoicing and tax evasion. Africa loses close to $50billion annually thanks to these so called 'multinationals'......though it might be argued that corrupt leaders are the ones that welcome these corrupt self-serving multinationals to Africa.

 

[Ndahani]

"Corruption, while still endemic, has its days numbered. With growing democratization, governance is improving - again, slowly, haltingly, but surely. Thanks to widespread access to mobile phones and therefore to the internet, the grossest forms of corruption are becoming harder to get away with and transparency is increasing."

For Tanzania this is becoming a dream; with the upcoming legislation on cybercrime .....

People will eventually make a decision about the future of their country...unless this corruption stops, it would be very difficult to lead in the future because of the way the information finds its way out

 

[Stamina]

Nothing impossible,,

 

[malipula]

The number one source of illegal financial outflows from Africa is not corrupt leaders but rather multinational coorporations through misinvoicing and tax evasion. Africa loses close to $50billion annually thanks to these so called 'multinationals'......though it might be argued that corrupt leaders are the ones that welcome these corrupt self-serving multinationals to Africa.

You can say all you want about leaders in Africa but you cant count them out on the predicament of African continent.
Something bad that keeps on itching the continent is that few leaders wouldnt like to put the systems that will help the entire population in their countries rather than few elites

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

I know better to not hold my breath on it.

 

[nyumba kubwa]

I don't know what you mean by being compliant because EITI aims at boosting accountability but it is not an end in itself...Tanzania has endorsed this initiative and companies in extractive industry, gold mining companies in particular do report on what they paid to the government and the government reports on what they have received...and I remember there was disagreement in one of the reports (I don't remember which year)...where the government reported the amount lesser than what these companies declared as paid to them.

EITI wants us as citizens to hold the government accountable in cases like these where there are discrepancies...but how many of us know about EITI and those who know what do they do with these reports?????

Justice Mark Boman is the country chair of EITI...I have been following these through newspapers.

I wonder whether EITI representatives should be asked why citizens are not aware of its existence.

wadau, Tanzania is a compliant country of Extractive Industries Transparency Iniatitive (EITI).???

 

[Ivonya-Ngia]

mdau pengine hujaelewa maudhui ya taaraifa hii. Mwandishi amejaribu kulinganisha maendeleo ya china na afrika kwa ujumla kutokana na rasirimali zinazopatikana afrika. Kwamba na sisi tukiweza kujidhatiti katika kuinua uchumi wetu tunaweza kuwa kama au zaidi ya uchumi wa china, na sio sifa ya kijiografia na kiutawala kama unavyotaka kuamini.

Ulichokisisitiza kabla kuwa ni muhimu ndicho ulichokuja kukikanusha katika maneno yako ya mwisho. Ukweli ni kuwa utawala unamchango mkubwa sana katika kuleta maendeleo. China tunayoiona leo ni matokeo ya misingi imara na madhubuti ya utawala wa Mao Zedong na chama chake cha Kikomunisti. Hili ni la muhimu zaidi katika Africa inayotegemea busara ya mtu mmoja maana kiuhalisia nchi zetu nyingi si madhubuti kitaasisi.

Ni rahisi kulithibitisha hili, just fanya analysis kwa nchi mojamoja barani kwa kuangalia tofauti za kimaendeleo na aina ya utawala uliyopo.

The entire planet is aging. Everywhere, birth rates have shrunk. Everywhere, that is, except sub-Saharan Africa. The countries that look to the future with confidence are the young countries. In 50 years' time, Africa will find itself with hundreds of millions of confident young people. They will be increasingly educated; most of them will speak either English or French or both; and they will be raring to seize the day.

Swala la birth rate hata kwa Africa punde tutaanza kushuhudia ikishuka. Huko nyuma jamii/familia zetu nyingi zilikuwa zinaangalia jambo moja ama mawili tu ya msingi katika kuanzisha na kuimudu familia i.e chakula na malazi. Mambo yamebadilika sana siku hizi, challenges zinazosababisha jamii za developed world kuwa na familia ndogo ama kutokuwa nayo kabisa ndizo zimeanza kuikumba Africa yetu. Sasa tiba ni pesa, elimu ghari, bei za vyakula si lelemama, gharama za upangaji nyumba na hata ujenzi pia si tulivu etc

Kwa ufupi kwa mtu asiye na kipato cha maana kwa Africa ya sasa lazima atakumbana na hali ya shida, si mijini wala si vijijini. Na hata wale wenye kipato cha juu still maisha yamekuwa ni so busy ili kuzidi kujipatia kipato cha ziada. Kiuhalisia watu wengi sasa wamegeukia kupanga size za familia zao na hata kuepuka extended families.

Halafu pia mwandishi anatuweka njia panda, hatuhitaji tu idadi kubwa ya watu bali tunahitaji watu wenye weledi(skilled) wa kutosha kuisukuma Africa mbele. Unskilled population haitatusaidia chochote katika vision yetu ya maendeleo, wengi wataishia kuwa vibarua wa kubangaiza na kupunguza purchasing power. Ingawa mwandishi anasisitiza kuwa hao vijana wengi watapata elimu lakini sijaona ni kwa namna gani wataipata hiyo elimu na pia ni elimu ya aina gani; and the fact ni kuwa hii formal education tu ni triangular form wengi wanaishia chini.

YES, Africa can prosper to the best but we still need a lot of internal reforms.

 

[Charles Mandela]

I don't know what you mean by being compliant because EITI aims at boosting accountability but it is not an end in itself...Tanzania has endorsed this initiative and companies in extractive industry, gold mining companies in particular do report on what they paid to the government and the government reports on what they have received...and I remember there was disagreement in one of the reports (I don't remember which year)...where the government reported the amount lesser than what these companies declared as paid to them.

EITI wants us as citizens to hold the government accountable in cases like these where there are discrepancies...but how many of us know about EITI and those who know what do they do with these reports?????

Justice Mark Boman is the country chair of EITI...I have been following these through newspapers.

I wonder whether EITI representatives should be asked why citizens are not aware of its existence.

Even for myself,I used EITI's report to study the annual production schemes of different african countries but I'm not aware of its existence in Tanzania. May be, because it is not more legislation but enforcing the legislation on the books.
On the other hands when we're discussing economic issues about africa, we're discussing Tanzania in general. Tanzania loses billions from fraud and tax avoidance, secret mining deals and financial transfers as it gets from donors. The major aims of EITI is to collects and validates data on financial management, accountability and transparency by african governments and companies in oil, gas and mining industries. However we're rich in resources, once again it comes down to the issue of tax or in Tanzania's case,we call it tax avoidance and the use of tax havens. We lost a lot of money that would make us less reliant on international aid.

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

teh teh teh that's why miafrika ndivyo tulivyo.

Hahahaaa....well...

 

[nyumba kubwa]

I read one critical article about EITI...the key argument was, it is not about transparency but accountability....it is one thing to know and another thing to act ...the wananchi cannot take action...si tumeona escrow tumewaachia vinara wawili watatu wapige kelele peke yao Bungeni...na wahisani...sasa nchi wahisani ujue nao wanafaidika na uwizi wa haya makampuni na rushwa za viongozi wetu...kwa sababu unlike us hawa wenzetu makampuni yao yakiiba hayaweki ela mifukoni mwa CEOs...ni ela zinazokuza kipato cha shareholders na nchi zao kwa ujumla..ndio maana wana uwezo wa kuthibiti uwizi lakini kwa interest ipi? kwa faida ya nani?

Na kingine tukumbuke kuwa tatizo si kujua wanalipa ngapi serikalini bali walitakiwa walipe ngapi? evasion na avoidance haziwezi malizwa na EITI...na ndio kilio kikubwa zaidi ya kodi kutoingia kwenye mahesabu...
acha tu...

Even for myself,I used EITI's report to study the annual production schemes of different african countries but I'm not aware of its existence in Tanzania. May be, because it is not more legislation but enforcing the legislation on the books.
On the other hands when we're discussing economic issues about africa, we're discussing Tanzania in general. Tanzania loses billions from fraud and tax avoidance, secret mining deals and financial transfers as it gets from donors. The major aims of EITI is to collects and validates data on financial management, accountability and transparency by african governments and companies in oil, gas and mining industries. However we're rich in resources, once again it comes down to the issue of tax or in Tanzania's case,we call it tax avoidance and the use of tax havens. We lost a lot of money that would make us less reliant on international aid.