I am an African, more specifically a South African, and it breaks my heart to witness the speed at which this beautiful country is unravelling. Our lives have become playthings for the ANC, which is determined to break this country down until it is indistinguishable from the rest of Africa.

African countries need to utilise the skills and qualities of their people whilst investing in human development. Inn the long term these countries should aim to diversify their economies and exports and should look at the past of developed countries to try and forecome possible future problems.

African countries need to diversify who they trade with as currently there is an unequal bargaining power between consumers(eg Europe and U.S) and the suppliers (the African countries). They should increasingly try to find more markets for african goods and look further eastwards where the newly industrialised countries (china and india) have a shortage of resources and have a higher disposable income.

I hoped that by now the African countries would have realised that the U.N, World Bank, IMF and World Trade organisation are institutions dominated by developed countries who, unsurprisingly, act in the best interests of their countries and their people. These institutions are means of controlling developing countries’ economies, politics and increasingly people to achieve the political, economical and stratic interests of (mainly) the west. Many forms of aid only create debt and further underdevelopment due to conditionality. In 2008, developing countries received $53.7 billion in aid and paid $381 billion back as payments. Developing countries should try to use reasonable amounts of aid and realise that borrowing is not the way forward, especially not if it risks your country’s economical and political independance.

For example look at Kenya. Despite unstable post election period that threatened the economy, the country is back on track. One of the largest IPO’s in African history took place shortly after that period, showing a vote of confidence with the oversubscription of close to 600%. Other sectors of the Kenyan economy have registered tremendous gains notwithstanding high oil prices !

As Mo Ibrahim said with the global financial situation the way it is, perhaps their money is safer in Africa than in the West. The rate of return on capital is outstanding and there is a dramatic improvement in governance.

I would urge anyone that never even considered Africa a “safe haven” to indeed do so with a fresh perspective.