Following Barack Obama's visit to Ghana last week, Gerald Caplan questions the US president's grasp of African affairs. Obama's comments around good governance as a pre-condition for foreign investment are simply false Caplan points out, as any glance at apartheid-era South Africa or contemporary Nigeria and Angola would confirm. If Obama is serious about supporting Africa, he should seek to break with the entrenched twin burdens of self-interested leaders and exploitative Western policies holding back the continent, Caplan concludes, and not merely perpetuate them.
The American president made his first official trip to Africa last week when he visited Ghana for two days. In an interview Obama, with no false humility, stated that 'I'm probably as knowledgeable about African history as anybody who's occupied my office.' I'd say two things. First, the bar in that particular competition was not exactly set very high. Second, as the rest of the interview demonstrated, he's not nearly as knowledgeable as he thinks he is. Much of what he believes about Africa, and how it can get out of the many messes it's in, are simply wrong.
In his interview with allafrica.com, the president focused on internal African causes for the continent's woes, highlighting especially the need for good governance and ending widespread corruption. So, for example, he argues that 'you're not going to get investment without good governance.' That's simply wrong. For decades most foreign investment in Africa has gone to South Africa first, even under apartheid, and then to such oil-rich nations as Angola and Nigeria. In all cases, good governance played no role in investment decisions. Making an assured profit, regardless of the governance system, was the only criterion.
Similarly, Obama insisted that business won't invest where 'government officials are asking for 10, 15, 25 per cent off the top'. That too is wrong. Nigeria, Angola and South Africa show that, as do Kenya, Cameroon and the DR Congo, just to name obvious exceptions to his statement. In all cases, foreign businessmen have shown themselves only too eager to play the bribery card. If they didn't, those African government officials couldn't get away with demanding a cut off the top, which also means that high-level corruption in Africa couldn't - and doesn't - happen without Western complicity.
Obama says there is 'a direct correlation between governance and prosperity'. That's why he chose democratic Ghana for his first official state visit, rather than his father's country, Kenya. Heaven knows that the ruling parties in Kenya are brazenly corrupt and show little interest in anything other than enriching themselves and their supporters. Ghana, on the other hand, after years of bad governments following the CIA-instigated coup that overthrew the first president, Kwame Nkrumah, can now be said to be fairly stable and politically democratic. Obama knows lots of things. As he observed, when his father left Kenya in the early 1960s to study in the USA, the GDP (gross domestic product) of Kenya was higher than that of South Korea; today, South Korea is one of the world's great success stories, while Kenya languishes.
The UN's Human Development Index backs this up. In 2008, of 179 countries, Korea was ranked 25th, placing it among the rich developed nations of the world, while Kenya was 144th. But the president should look at these ratings more closely. Despite good governance, Ghana was ranked 142nd, virtually tied with Kenya among the bottom 20 per cent of the world's nations. Something else must be going on here that accounts for this situation, because Obama's analysis can't.
Here's the heart of his diagnosis, as his interview made explicit: While the international community 'has not always been as strategic as it should have been [regarding Africa] ... ultimately I'm a big believer that Africans are responsible for Africa ... for many years we've made excuses about corruption or poor governance, that this was somehow the consequence of neocolonialism, or the West has been oppressive, or racist. I'm not a believer in excuses.'
Well, this is partially true. Africans have for decades been betrayed by a veritable pageant of monstrous leaders. But another truth is that the United States actively supported the very worst of these African tyrants, and if the US didn't, France did; that's called neocolonialism. This included, by the way, the apartheid government of South Africa, which, with the quiet backing of Britain and the US, only stopped destabilising much of the continent 15 years ago. The West also supplied many of the arms that were used in the terrible internal conflicts that have roiled Africa for so long. Even today, the US, Britain and France continue to remain close allies with many African leaders whose democratic credentials leave much to be desired.
The little-grasped reality is that year after year far more of Africa's wealth and resources pour out of the continent to the rich world than the West provides through all possible sources, from aid to investment to trade.
Beyond that, even if every African country was led by a saint, they could do nothing about the severe environmental damage that global warming - for which Africa has no responsibility whatever - is inflicting across the continent.
Even the best African leaders could do nothing about the destructive impact on African development of the present worldwide economic crisis, for which Africa has no responsibility whatever.
No African leader has the slightest influence on the drastic increase in food prices that is causing such suffering - including outright starvation - to millions of Africans.
Even a continent's worth of Mandelas couldn't change the massive subsidies Western governments provide to their agribusinesses. When they're in Ghana, the Obamas should do some comparison shopping. They may be taken aback to find that it costs more to buy a locally-bred chicken than one that's been shipped all the way from Europe, thanks to subsidies to European chicken farmers.
And nothing will now change the vast damage already done to Africa by the destructive neoliberal policies that were imposed on African governments by the World Bank and IMF (International Monetary Fund) over the past 30 years. Even today, while their rhetoric has changed, these institutions, deeply American-influenced, continue to insist on discredited policies that fail to promote growth while vastly increasing inequality.
At the risk of being pushy, I recommend that President Obama reads my little book, The Betrayal of Africa, which documents the twin burdens that actually account for Africa's situation - the continent's own wretched leaders combined with exploitative Western policies and practices. Unless he grasps this truth, his administration will become yet another in an endless line that has caused Africa more grief than good. And I'm confident that's not what he intends.
* Gerald Caplan is the author of The Betrayal of Africa.
* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org/.
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I feel that Gerald Caplan's views are heavily influenced by an overly defensive view of Africa.
Take for example his rather dubious argument that corruption has no impact on investment; I recently provided the bulk of start-up capital for a truck dealership in Africa. I am based on the United Kingdom and my business partner was based on Germany, having now moved to Africa to run the business. In deciding which country to invest in we considered, among other things, market size and corruption levels of various African countries. Although Nigeria would have been a much larger market for our products, we that Nigeria wasn't even an option due the risk resulting from Nigeria's corruption.
The problem is that increased risk demands increased profit margins. This sadly has the effect not only of decreasing investment in corrupt countries, but also of making products in those countries more expensive. This is because a higher profit margin is required to compensate for increased risk.
Highly profitable ventures such as oil extraction are rare. Massive investment as found in Asia and the West will only be replicated in Africa when risk premiums are reduced. When risk is lower, previously unattractive projects with low profit margins are now able to attract investors.
As Obama said in his speech, Africans need to take personal responsibility for corruption and good governance. A defensive attitude won't help achieve that aim.
IN AS MUCH AS OBAMAS VISIT TO HIS FATHERLAND WAS TOO BRIEF,I DONT BELIEVE THAT ONE HAS TO WAIT FOR A CONTRIBUTOR TO HIS/HER PROBLEM BEFORE HE ATEMPTING TO SOLVE THEM.LETS GIVE OBAMA SOMETIME,IAM CONFIDENT HE WILL DO MORE THAN A FEW HOURS VISIT TO AFRICA,AT LEAST NO ONE IS SAYING WHY GHANA ? (AHMADEEN ABBA)
OBAMA DECEPTIONS
Matthew 24:4 Take Precautions Against Being Tricked By Anyone [Paraphrased] * Unless Theyre Likeable ?
#1
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrpRocaEfQE]
[ http://www.infowars.com/obama-feigns-ignorance-of-cfr-nau/ ]
[http://www.infowars.com/michelle-obama-flashes-%E2%80%98el-diablo%E2%80%99 -hand-signal-on-cover-of-vogue/ ]
#2 Here is evidence of Point 2 of the Georgia Guidestones on Reproduction .
Don't be deceived :
[http://www.infowars.com/?p=7259]
Here are search result links to what the Georgia Guidestones are
[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Guidestones ]
#3
BY PEACE SHALL Many Be deceived (Daniel 8:25) .
DOES THE TERM PEACEKEEPERS ring a Bell ?
Ask the people in Rwanda (who survived that Peace-keeping) about the
United Nations PEACEKEEPERS .
President Obamas UNITED NATIONS AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE cut her teeth on
the RWANDA MASSACRE . OOOPs!!! She said.
(Heres a Search Link To Many Witnesses To THE NEW U.N. RICE MONSTER)
[http://ixquick.com/do/metasearch.pl?query=Susan+Rice+Rwanda&cat=web&pl=ff& language=english]
FAMILIES LINE UP FOR MASONIC CHILD ID PROGRAM ! UNCLE BEAST WANTS YOU !!!
[http://www.infowars.com/families-line-up-for-masonic-child-id-program/ ]
AMERICA IS THE WHORE OF BABYLON : Revelations 17 & 18 AND Jeremiah 50 & 51
HERE ARE SOME KEY POINTS :
Jeremiah, chapter 50 : 8 - 9
8: Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks. 9: For, behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon AN ASSEMBLY OF GREAT NATIONS FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from there she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain. . [ Their will be an exodus of nations leaving America ; returning to their ancestral homes e.g. Black Africans to nations like Ghana, Sierra Leone, etc ] [ .Get out of New Babylon America !!! ]
[ 1 ] Jeremiah, chapter 50 : 16 16: Cut off the sower from Babylon ;and him that handles the sickle in the time of harvest .For fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.
[ 2 ] Jeremiah, chapter 51 : 6
6: Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul. Be not cut off in her iniquity. For this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; he will render to her a recompence.
[ 3 ] Jeremiah, chapter 51 : 9 9: We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. Forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country. For her judgment reaches to heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
Jeremiah, chapter 50 : 35 - 37
35: A sword is upon the Chaldeans, the inhabitants of Babylon, her princes, and her wise men; says the LORD. 36: A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote. A sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed. 37: A sword is upon their horses, chariots, and upon ALL THE MINGLED PEOPLE that are in the midst of her; they shall become as women. A sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.
ALL THE MINGLED PEOPLE What Nation Has More Different Cultures Than America ?
Jeremiah, chapter 51 : 7 7: Babylon has been a golden cup in the LORD's hand; that made all the earth drunken. The nations have drunk of her wine. Therefore the nations are insane.
10: The LORD has brought forth our righteousness. Come, and let us declare in Zion (our souls) the work of the LORD our God. [ Zion = The Kingdom of Heaven which is within us..within our souls ]
[ This same spirit of the Medes ( Arabs) is against New Babylon (Anerica) ]
[ 1 ] Jeremiah, chapter 51 : 11 11: Make bright the arrows; gather the shields. The LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.
[ 2 ] Jeremiah, chapter 51 : 27 - 28
27: Set you up a standard in the land. Blow the trumpet among the nations. Prepare the nations against her. Call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz. Appoint a captain against her. Cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- These three(3) kingdoms today are : a) Ararat - (Armenia / Turkey) b) Ashchenaz ( ? ) c) Minni Armenia These kingdoms are (Arabic ) Medes --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------- 28: Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains, all the rulers of it, and all the land of his dominion.
[ The people will stop immigrating to America; once the word gets out of her impending doom ]
[ 1 ] Jeremiah, chapter 51 : 44 -45
44: And I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he has swallowed up. And the nations shall not flow together any more to him. Yes, the wall of Babylon shall fall. 45: My people, go you out of the midst of her, and deliver you every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.
[ a) For Two(2) years shall the people [ still here ( in America) ] hear rumors b) Civil Wars will break out before the final day of Americas destruction
[ 1 ] Jeremiah, chapter 51 : 46
46: And lest your heart faint, and you fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land. A rumour shall both come one year. And after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land; ruler against ruler. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
REVELATIONS 17 & 18 : Also witnesses to Babylons destruction
OUR DEEPEST FEAR By Marianne Williamson
Our Deepest Fear Is Not That We Are Inadequate, Our Deepest Fear Is That We Are Powerful Beyond Measure. It Is Our Light , Not Our Darkness That Most Frightens Us.
We Ask Ourselves, Who Am I To Be Brilliant, Gorgeous, Talented, And Fabulous ?
Actually Who Are We Not To Be ? You Are A Child Of God.
Your Playing Small Doesnt Serve The World.
There Is Nothing Enlightened About Shrinking So That Other People Wont Feel Insecure Around You.
We Are All Meant To Shine, As Children Do.
We Were Born To Make Manifest The Glory Of God That Is Within Us.
Its Not Just In Some Of Us; Its In Everyone.
And When We Let Our Own Light Shine We Unconsciously Give Other People Permission To Do The Same.
And As We Are Liberated From Our Own Fear, Our Presence Automatically Liberates Others
[NOTE BEING AFRAID AND REFUSING TO GET INVOLVED WONT STOP US FROM DYING. BUT BEING AFRAID CAN PREVENT US FROM LIVING]
(Nkosi Sikeleli Africa )
God bless Africa May her glory be lifted high Hear our petitions .
God bless us, Your children God we ask You to protect our nation Intervene and end all conflicts Protect us, protect our nation, our nation.
From the blue of our heaven, From the depths of our sea, Over our eternal mountain ranges, Where the cliffs give answer.
Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land.
[Enoch Mankayi Sontonga]
WAKE UP ! STAY UP MY BROTHERS & SISTERS ! BE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
[http://www.infowars.com/infowars.asx] / [gcnlive.com]
- Life Is a Game. Have Fun. [ Luke 18:17 / Isaiah 11:6 ]