Hello.
Bono wants Africa to create a United States of Africa.
Yeah, and I want Baskin Robbins to start a home delivery service.
The problem that the little man has vastly overlooked, as has his alter ego Jeffery Sachs, is the separatist and tribal nature of many African nations. There are literally hundred of tribes within the African framework and they do not all get along. I don’t mean this in a Protestant v. Catholic way either. I mean that they will never get along. Ever. This division existed long before Ireland tossed out it’s Druids and gained a snake charmer.
Also, has either of these social geniuses looked at a map? I am referring specifically to North Africa. I don’t mean to be a killjoy here but have they noticed the many stable, productive, countries at the top of the African Continent? Something tells me that Egypt and Morocco are not going to loosen ties to other Muslim countries in order to embrace a chaotic warlord run Sub Saharan Africa. They can’t, their ideologies are so different nothing would ever be accomplished.
And I don’t think pointing to the EU is a good example builder in light of Ireland overwhelmingly killing the Lisbon treaty.
In fact, pointing to Ireland at all is probably not a good idea right now. Their entire economy was overhauled to mimic a supply side economic reality. Housing went from affordable to outrageous in a few years and the deep social divisions between the poor and wealthy became over- exacerbated. Now with the credit crisis striking everyone who ever had dealings with the United States, Ireland’s economy is in a tailspin. Companies are pulling out and jobs are being lost. The housing boom is declining. What has been an economic success for many years is turning into a struggling morass of nothing actually being accomplished.
Is this what Bono the Great wants for Africa? A warring conglomerate of mis- matched countries whose separate and individual natures keep them in a constant state of flux rather than as a cohesive ruling body?
And if they do manage somehow to become a full fledged United anything who is going to keep the rampant cocaine use and boy racers at bay? Not to mention the self righteous, self indulgent celebrities.
Dogwoman
Monday June 16 2008 at 8:36 pm
yuck. I’ve been having difficulty articulating the huge issue I have with this, but I think it comes down to Bono being completely unaware of the scope of Africa’s problems.
The overall literacy rate in Africa is around 60%. School enrollment in sub-Saharan Africa has actually declined since the 1980s. 6.1% of people in sub-Saharan Africa have AIDS, compared to 0.11% in the US. Don’t even get me started on Malaria. And he thinks they need a new system of government?
When (depending on where you live) you can’t read, have almost a 1 in 10 chance of having AIDS, and 40% of toddlers you meet will die of Malaria, AND there’s a food shortage, you probably have bigger things on your mind than how your government might be structured in the future.
Sheesh.
Tuesday June 17 2008 at 2:00 am
Well, as you know Bono’s ego is bigger than Africa’s problems.
actually I could write a giant book on the constant mis-management and interference of Western ‘humanitarians’ who don’t seem to be able to see the big picture. Gah!!!
Tuesday June 17 2008 at 7:38 pm
I think that anyone with money and influence who wants to “fix” Africa needs to pick one issue in one country, and start there. But start at the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy and work up. No meddling in government until everyone has food to eat, and little kids aren’t dying of Malaria everywhere you look.
Tuesday June 17 2008 at 8:02 pm
I agree.
Agribusiness management, small entrepenurial enterprises, water treatment, waste management and health care that extends into rural areas are all issues that need to be addressed BEFORE ANYONE begins playing god with Africa. And the changes have to come from the governments themselves in a way that is familiar to the people. Not all western values are valued everywhere.