Natural Resources, Curse or Blessing for Africa?

Mwamongu_water_source

Mwamongu water source by Wikimedia.

It’s depressing when we look at the African continent and its paradoxes today. On one hand, we have this amazing and charming land which overflows with a variety of natural resources that feed all industries and create wealth around the world. Products from its soil and subsoil cover all sectors of the economy including energy, jewelry, and high tech.

On the other hand, we have this extreme poverty, where people live on a day to day basis. So many are still dying due to some preventable causes such as famine, armed conflicts, lack of adequate healthcare, malaria, choleras, and so on. Access to education, electricity, and clean water is still a privilege in so many areas across the continent.

According to the 2016 report of the Human Development Index,[I] all African countries rank between medium and low human development except Libya, Mauritius, and Seychelles which rank among high human development index. Statistically, these three countries represent a population of 6 412 753[ii], 1 281 353[iii], and 97 567[iv] respectively. A total of 7 791 673 out 1 246 504 865[v] for the entire continent. Basically, we have 0.63% of the African population which have a high human development index. Strange reality!

Well, this is the twenty first, more than sixty years after the independence waves on the continent, it would be time to ask the right questions: who gets the benefit of all exploited natural resources in Africa? Are these natural resources a curse or a blessing for Africa?

Zambia Mines