Why has the development experience of sub-Saharan Africa diverged markedly from that of other developing regions?

ClÃ©mence H.

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Why has the development experience of sub-Saharan Africa diverged markedly from that of other developing regions?

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The recent images of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa dying on the border of the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla reminded the Northern opinion of the reality of life in the poorest region in the world . Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa flee such horrible conditions of life, and such a lack of future, that they are willing to do anything to come to Europe . Sub-Saharan Africans are indeed the "poorest of the poor". Life expectancy for them is only 46 years old and a large part of the population still lives with less than 1 dollar a day . Development, i.e. the economic growth coupled with an effective improvement in the conditions of life, is stuck in this region. Many factors combined to lead to this situation which seems inextricable. We have to mention all of them to explain why Sub-Saharan Africa is facing such problems, whereas other developing areas have "taken-off", such as East Asia. History is a burden for Africa, which has been exploited by other powers for centuries. The complex framework of international balance of powers and economical relations has been weaved considering Africa only as a source of raw materials and cheap labour. Since the time of their independence, Sub-Saharan countries struggle to change this legacy.

Sommaire

Introduction.
The singularity of Sub-Saharan Africa compared to others developing region.
1. The labor force represented by the future slaves.
2. The decision of the Europeans to use African labour force in the middle of the nineteenth century.
3. The behaviour of the colonial powers in the political field.
The main reason for the African situation.
1. Development aid during the colonisation period.
2. The devotion of a majority of the income of some countries to pay their debt and interests.
3. A very difficult economical transition.
The lack of a 'Green Revolution' in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The political legacy of the colonisation.
Sub-Saharan Africa.
1. Lack of education structures.
2. Lack of money to build hospitals.
3. Social problems.
4. The law about patents and medicine.
Conclusion.

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Extraits

[...] When a treatment was found, Sub-Saharan Africa was victim of international trade rules. The law about patents prevents Africa from buying generic medicine to other developing countries, such as India or Brazil. Most of the population touched by Aids could not afford the treatment. But the WTO has recently decided to allow African countries to get generic medicines. Even if the NGOs such as Médecins sans frontières asses that the too complicated procedure prejudiced developing countries, Amina Mohamed, the president of the general council of the WTO, reminded recently that in her country, Kenya, the price of the treatment decreased of 80% since 2002[29]. [...]

[...] This made it easier for military regime to succeed. Most of Sub-Saharan countries have been trough or still are under a dictatorial regime, which block the development. Sub-Saharan Africa lack of education structures is a deep hurdle to development. The rate of literacy among males between 15 and 24 years old is only whereas in the developing countries of Latin America it is 95%. The one for the female is only 60%. Colonial powers didn't build many schools. But they were a few though after independence. [...]

[...] Some schools were built, but a very few because colonial powers had no interest in educate the natives. The wealth and power transfer from Africa to Europe was the main consequence of the colonisation. The main reason for African situation is linked to economy. Sub- Saharan Africa had struggled for years to enter the global economy, with little results. Why is that? First of all, decolonisation (mostly in the 1950s) may have brought political independence, but economical dependence has remained. [...]

[...] The first settlers were the missionaries, coming to Africa to Christianise and “civilised” the people. Archbishop Edmond Tutu, Nobel Prize in 1984, said: “When the missionaries came, they had the Bible and we had the land. ( ) They taught us to close our eyes to pray and when we opened them again, we had the Bible and they had the Land.”[7] In 1884, the Berlin conference shared Africa between the European powers: Great-Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Portugal agreed on their “spheres of interests” in the continent. [...]

[...] Why has the development experience of sub-Saharan Africa diverged markedly from that of other developing regions? The recent images of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa dying on the border of the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla reminded the Northern opinion the reality of life in the poorest region in the world[1]. Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa flee so horrible conditions of life, and such a lack of future, that they are willing to do anything to come to Europe[2]. Sub-Saharan Africans are indeed the “poorest of the poor”. [...]

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