27 March 2009
Although the current global economic crisis was triggered by the financial practices of industrialized nations, African leaders have important responsibilities to meet if they are to mitigate the effects of the crisis on the continent, a range of prominent African figures argue today.
In a publication released ahead of next week's G20 summit on the crisis, 11 leaders and development experts from within and outside the continent detail the anticipated effects of the crisis and propose solutions to help African cope with it.
Growth in Africa is likely to slow by nearly half, dropping from a rate of six percent to 3.5 percent, says Festus Mogae, the former Botswana president.
The continent will lose about U.S. $40 billion in gross domestic product in 2009, adds Simon Maxwell of the British-based Overseas Development Institute: "That is equivalent to nearly two weeks' worth of income lost for every single one of Africa's 900 million women, men and children," he adds.
While main focus of the publication lobbies for a stronger voice for Africa in global governance institutions, African contributors also direct specific appeals to the continent's leaders. Among them:
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Perhaps Mr. Annan could learn from a non-African - President Lula of Brazil who spoke more candidly on behalf of all the poorer people of our world, standing next to Gordon Brown this morning. Enough of this cap-in-hand pleading for more aid instead of fairer trade. Is that too much to ask for? For Mr. Lula’s comment, see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7964910.stm.
For the ordinary african in 'subsaharan Africa, live has never been easy even before the economic recession from the 'north' does he have a good road, good health care for his family, water and nutrition, free and quality education for his kids, good shelter instead of live in slums and secure future, who is thinking about him, what are the goals of leaders in sub-saharan africa anyway, where are they when countries like, Indonesia, Malasia, etc, where developing. He has not known any better so the recession means nothing to him, excepts the leaders who's windwall from the north will dry up as a result.
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Active Discussions: Global Crisis Hits Africa Twice