Africa's Real Problem Published in the National Post 25 June 2005

Not only do gross generalizations reflect poor reasoning, they usually suggest an ignorance of the topic (judging Africa by Charles Taylor is especially difficult, considering Liberia's history).

African countries and peoples have a number of different challenges: unfair trade regulations and protectionism that do not allow their products open access to Western markets; a history of Western colonialism that created a tolerance for and the structures and bureacracy necesssary to corruption and despotism; undemocratic governments or destabilizing insurgencies that have been propped up by the West (e.g., in the former-Zaire, Rwanda, South Africa, former-Rhodesia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Angola, etc.); loans and 'aid' that are leveraged to benefit Western economies to the detriment of African economies; Western drug companies attempting to profit from Africa's AIDS crises; and oh, yes, slavery.

Considering the damage the West has systematically done to African countries over the last several hundred years, forgiving African debt is a pittance. I'm in favour of debt relief, but as a pittance, it will do little to help Africa democratize.

To undo the harm that we've done, what is required is an equally systematic, but positive, engagement with real aid over several decades -- real commitment. Not every African regime deserves direct funding, but we can start with governments like South Africa, Uganda, and Rwanda and encourage regional and continental institutions.that have shown a commitment to better, more democratic governance.