Why Africa Is Poor

Abstract

In February 2002, British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned that the West could face new terrorist threats unless measures were taken to relieve African poverty (BBC World Service, Feb 6, 2002). Comparing the continent’s plight to that of Afghanistan ten years ago, when it was allowed “to deteriorate into a failed state living on drugs and terrorism,” Tony Blair said: “In the end the impact was felt on the streets of America” (The Times of London, Feb 6, 2002).

Instead of being exploited for the benefit of the people, Africa’s mineral resources have been so mismanaged and plundered that they are now the source of our misery.

—United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan at the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Summit in Lome (Daily Graphic, July 12, 2000; p.5).

Ghana was the first sub-Saharan nation to win its independence from a colonial power in 1957. Yet the average per capita income of my people is lower now than in the 1960s, four decades after independence. Some of the blame for this we Ghanaians must accept. My country must acknowledge that corruption has been a canker on our public and economic life and must be contained.

One hundred years ago, our trading was limited to the supply of raw materials, mainly gold, timber and cocoa. One hundred years later, our trading consists of raw materials, mainly gold, timber and cocoa.

I must admit that Ghana’s path towards self-reliance has not been smooth. I am painfully aware that our past can be characterized by one step forward and rwo steps backward.

—President John A Kufuor of Ghana (The Financial Gazette, May 3,2002; p.5).