Reply #20: No kidding.

[riverdeep]

Take a look at this graphic of life expectancy. Except for the northern most areas, Africa is the worst in the world. In places like Somalia, 30 is considered getting on in years.



It's the same way with a host of characteristics: illiteracy, AIDS infection, extreme poverty, government corruption, high fertility rates, high infant mortality, environmental degradation, etc.

Africa is fucked. People like Bono, who may very well have an ego the size of Africa, do bring attention because it's not like we were ever going to otherwise. But the idea of listening to the people and not (just) the government is a good one.

I'll be honest and say I don't know what the solutions are. Africa could easily enter the developed world with it's wealth of natural resources. Japan was totally obliterated after WWII, as much as any African nation is today, and a generation later ascended the world. Even India, a victim of colonialism, has made an impact and its trajectory is sharply upward, though it's still got a long way to go for many of its citizens. Most African nations can't seem to develop the cultural infrastructure to take it past the next level. This is why I'm skeptical about only throwing money and world aid to Africa, along with the opportunity for corruption.