The problem with Africa

Africa needs help. Now. Shamefully, however, the majority of the developed world does not appear to recognize (or want to recognize) this need. I find it particularly worrisome that the most progress in aid for Africa is being made by the UK, only the world's fourth largest economy, while the top 3 (USA, Japan and Germany) are worse than passive: they are actually creating obstacles to the UK's relief initiatives. Shame on the EU as well for not stepping up; they should be directed toward Africa by the Franco-German alliance.

I believe that the UK's proposals under Gordon Brown would result in nothing short of an African revolution. 100% debt relief and a doubling of aid would, if instituted multilaterally, remove almost entirely the burden that has kept Africa down for the last 50 years. These measures can sound frighteningly drastic, but they are undoubtedly necessary if the world community is to have even a remote chance of satisfying the UN millennium development goals for 2015.

Africa is the problem. Therein lies the solution.