To build or not to build?
German minister to Africa has proposed that foreign powers acquire land in Africa to curb migration to Europe.
“The European Union, or a body like the World Bank, should build and run cities in Africa in order to boost job creation and development on the continent”
This will mean African countries leasing their land to a foreign body to "allow free development for 50 years", Mr Nooke said.
Without going into how insulting it is that the main purpose of this proposal is to stop Africans from migrating to Europe, I will focus on the possibility of this actually benefiting Africans. I do not know anyone who would prefer to leave their beloved land and go to another land if not for certain conditions like war and lack of economic opportunities. Africans love Africa and would stay if things were better.
In pursuant, who says that the only way to development is to modernise or follow the European way of development? It goes back to this imperialistic way of imposing a Westernised vision of development to Africans. What Africans need is investments, big multinational and transnational organisations to pay their taxes, stop repatriating profits and invest in the continent, good governance etc. We have the manpower, the brainpower, the human and material resources, the willpower and can build our own version of developed cities.
However, will this idea help millions out of poverty or will it lead to another type of colonialism and worryingly, apartheid? Will it actually exclude the poor or benefit only the rich and elite?
Many African countries are going through economic difficulties, conflict and bad governance and the people absolutely in despair. The number of those living in poverty has risen and for many, the only way out is to get out of the country. It was not long ago that the media showed devasting pictures of many Africans on their way to the Mediterranean sea being enslaved in Libya. For them, the way out is to head to Europe. The more I follow the news, the more I see despair and disappointment on the way things are in many African countries. A continent blessed with abundance but yet, the people suffer. There is war, famine, high rate of unemployment and devastation in many of the countries. Reports after reports show how depressing life has become for many. The case of Cameroun, Nigeria, Congo is heartbreaking. Countries rich in natural and human resources but yet poor. People want out of the suffering and will rather die in the Mediterranean sea than suffer in their country of origin, which should be their succour.
So my question is, who would benefit from this proposed cities, the West, the African elite or the masses?
Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-46017551
