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Sica Dan
15 Oct 14 11:46
Joined:
Date Joined: 06 Oct 00
| Topic/replies: 17,864 | Blogger: Sica Dan's blog
"The state of Africa is a scar on the conscience of the world. But if the world as a community focused on it, we could heal it. And if we don't, it will become deeper and angrier" - Tony Blair, 2 October 2001.

Of course Our Tone lost interest in Africa in favour of making money but 13 years on the problem of Africa
is even worse. What is the solution? How do you change a culture of tribalism rather than democratic government?
Do we just keep sending aid as we have been doing for over 50 years?
Pause Switch to Standard View So what can be done about Africa?
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Report Ken Masters October 15, 2014 12:01 PM BST
Simplify it, like a busy menu it has too many countries. If it was just one big country then it could focus on what it's really good at, which is generally everyone killing each other and dying of Victorian diseases.
Report jed.davison October 15, 2014 12:09 PM BST
The best way to deal with Africa would be to appoint a committee, and get call me a taxi to act as its chairman.
Report call me a taxi October 15, 2014 12:10 PM BST
If sub-Saharan Africa was a racehorse, you'd shoot it.

Geldof and co. tried to cure hunger in 1986.

Almost 30 years later there are more starving and dying of disease now than there were back then.

Plenty said at the time that it wasn't going to work in the long run.

Poverty is obviously not the same in England, but on the BBC this morning it was stated that 10 of the worst 20 areas for children in poverty in this fine country, are in London.

A good advert for England that is, poverty in our capital city.

If UK citizens want to send their own cash to Africa, by all means let them do it so they can feel wonderful about themselves, but the govt should stop sending it, and spend it on something worthwhile here instead.
Report call me a taxi October 15, 2014 12:11 PM BST
jed.davison    15 Oct 14 12:09 
The best way to deal with Africa would be to appoint a committee, and get call me a taxi to act as its chairman.


I was typing when you posted that.

Sorted it already. Laugh
Report jed.davison October 15, 2014 12:15 PM BST
I was expecting a more radical, and perhaps even final, solution. Laugh
Report scandanavian_haven October 15, 2014 12:18 PM BST
The biggest problem with Africa is the money is receives in foreign aid is not distributed fairly by their respective 'dodgy' governments, it should not be given directly to them, if we want to support Africans we should send over food and resources, anything but money. The same can't be said for India however, they sent back our foreign aid and called it peanutsLaugh
Report call me a taxi October 15, 2014 12:18 PM BST
I've got my ideas for Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

On the phone to NASA now.
Report Injera October 15, 2014 4:42 PM BST
Does Africa need the white man to sort it out? Or can the black man deal with it?

For example, can the black man deal with ebola?

I've been to Africa 6 times. My experience of their agriculture is that in places it's about 1000 years behind Britain's. I would include Ghana and Malawi in that. In Ethiopia there was little or no provision (that I saw ) for collecting rainfall.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement..

Huge tribal issues of jealousy, hatred suspicion and of course ancestral worship which suffocates any ambition or new ideas. 'If the ancestors didn't do it, then I won't' is a common view.

So if the ancestors farmed in a way that led to starvation, the people of today will do likewise for fear of upsetting their dead relatives..

Incredibly sad but solvable.
Report naydam October 15, 2014 6:46 PM BST
They need major birth control standards to be imposed. One child per family...no more. It is not going to be achieved with kid gloves. It may require more positive techniques...ScaredScaredDevil
Report twonky October 15, 2014 7:49 PM BST
Africa has 3 big problems,
The Catholic Church and it's refusal to encourage contraception.
The World Health Organisation and it's continual supply of drugs and advice which have the total opposite effect to what it says on the tin.
The United Nations and it's dodgy links to world banks which are owed billions by African countries, thus, any money donated by well wishers, goes straight to the banks via the countries, to settle their debts. Thus, keeping the population in poverty. As long as Africa stays rich in natural resources from oil to gas to diamonds, the longer the western world keeps stealing from them and remains a presence in the area.

After live aid, Ethiopia was given millions of pounds in donations. Most of which was squandered on a new consulate in Switzerland and a fleet of limousines. The rest ultimately found its way into the very secretive Swiss banking system. Ultimately, live aid was a failure. People still starved, and as long as countries like Ethiopia have corrupt mps propped up by the west, the longer the majority starve and stay poor.

Of course, there is a simple solution. Sort out the sanitation and clean water supply and within a generation, the sickening scenes we've been seeing over the last 30 years, will be a thing of the past.
Report seaview October 15, 2014 7:52 PM BST
Close down all African airports for a start.
Report ebulGery October 15, 2014 7:52 PM BST
I agree with that Naydam..yes their own population is their biggest enemy

But only communism could enforce that, and we don't like communism in the west

Africa has been exploited by the West, we created their countries ignoring tribal differences.

Law and order is more important that democracy.

I think we should send them aid, it is humane, but unless they can get their population under control

I see little change.

Africa is Africa,
Report naydam October 15, 2014 7:54 PM BST
Or let Nature take it's course. There are too many mouths to feed and they are compounding the problem by breeding even more!
Report ebulGery October 15, 2014 7:56 PM BST
We should NOT try to impose our values on them

That is the mistake we have made in the M.East

The World needs to learn to accept it's differences.
Report ebulGery October 15, 2014 8:01 PM BST
It would be hard not to send them aid

I remember we did that in Ireland at the time of the Potato Famine

Not one of this countries finest moments

But yes in the end, Africa must find it's own solution
Report naydam October 15, 2014 8:02 PM BST
Aye. And when it realises those differences it needs to be prevented from running away to Britain! Go back and SORT OUT your problems!
If there's someone back there who's gonna kill you...it's probably because YOU tried to kill HIM!
Report ebulGery October 15, 2014 8:09 PM BST
Ireland was trapped by it's own poverty, far too many people living in appalling conditions

They solved the problem by emigrating.

The problem with Africa, where do they go?, well here

Population control is Africa's biggest problem, they will never escape poverty without it
Report ebulGery October 15, 2014 8:14 PM BST
We can't judge these countries by our values Naydam,

But in this country, we live in peace.

Africa may always be as it is now, that is it.
Report naydam October 15, 2014 8:20 PM BST
That is precisely why we CANNOT allow them to come here. This is going to be the most important political issue very soon if we don't act to prevent it. The more that are here means the more that can buy tickets for relatives which makes even more people to buy tickets for other relatives. That's where their money goes...straight back home.
Report Injera October 15, 2014 8:21 PM BST
test
Report Injera October 15, 2014 8:23 PM BST
Population density is not the issue in Africa.

I'm surprised so many people think that it's a problem.

It's not.

Halve the population in Africa and the starvation would remain.

Corruption at the top, an inability to adapt at the bottom.
Report akabula October 15, 2014 8:30 PM BST
Population density is not the issue in Africa.

Of course not Injera but population control should still be part of the solution.
Report Foinavon October 15, 2014 8:30 PM BST
Correct Injera.
Famine is generally a symptom of war, it is the will of politicians to starve the enemy.
Report naydam October 15, 2014 9:57 PM BST
You can't starve somebody who isn't born.
Report kincsem October 15, 2014 10:06 PM BST
Dismas brought me my morning tea.  He was a nice old guy.  I asked him about the country (late 1970s) and had it got better or worse since independence.  Much worse was his opinion.  It pains me to say it but he said it was much better when the British were in charge.  They were tough but there was less robbing.
My experience was everyone wants a top job, but nobody wants to work.
Report ebulGery October 16, 2014 12:40 AM BST
Corruption at the top, an inability to adapt at the bottom.

I am sure that is so injera

But how much does Western business interest  create this corruption?

I still think population control is important on the grounds it is not easy to deal with other two problems you have highlighted

injera

In some ways I agree with kincsem, Africans seem like children to me at times, albeit very violent children

Of course the main reason we were in Africa was for ourselves, but a lot of people went out there with good intentions

and did try, one wonders if they are really better off now we have left?

yes I know terribly racist and Colonial oh wellBlush
Report Sica Dan October 16, 2014 1:05 AM BST
Nobody in Western Govts can say anything lest they be accused
of Imperialism or even worse Racism. Thus nothing can be done
other than to send more aid. I am old enough to remember being
asked to donate 'a penny for the black babies' nowadays its £3
a month.
Report Money Tree cost me thousands!! October 16, 2014 1:05 AM BST
Tia
Report call me a taxi October 16, 2014 10:39 AM BST
call me a taxi    15 Oct 14 12:10 
If sub-Saharan Africa was a racehorse, you'd shoot it.
Geldof and co. tried to cure hunger in 1986.
Almost 30 years later there are more starving and dying of disease now than there were back then.
Plenty said at the time that it wasn't going to work in the long run.
Poverty is obviously not the same in England, but on the BBC this morning it was stated that 10 of the worst 20 areas for children in poverty in this fine country, are in London.
A good advert for England that is, poverty in our capital city.
If UK citizens want to send their own cash to Africa, by all means let them do it so they can feel wonderful about themselves, but the govt should stop sending it, and spend it on something worthwhile here instead.


Either my eyes are bad, or the BBC have changed it during the night,  London now has 14 of the worst 20 areas for children in poverty.

As for Africa, consider it as a huge body, and cut off the badly infected parts before it spreads further.

The government turn round in Ebola checks (first it was 'no' - then in under 24 hours it was changed to 'yes') will cost £9 million for 6 months, and according to one 'expert' on the BBC, will serve no purpose at all.

Those with a temperature can be treated, isolated or sent back, it will make no difference.

The virus needs time to incubate itself in the human body, and thousands could be let in to the UK while showing no signs of illness at all.

Two weeks later and we could be facing an epidemic.
Report macarony October 16, 2014 12:23 PM BST
So what can be done about Africa?

The amount of money we here in Britain, and the rest of the developed world spend on allowing large numbers of Africans to live here in the west, most run in to tens of billions per year.
Now instead of so called helping Africans this way, it would be better to spend that money turning Africa from the third world to the modern world.
Report lfc1971 October 16, 2014 1:41 PM BST
We have no money in Britain,  and Europe is creating suicide. Every country must
seperate itself from every other country. It is wrong to think globalisation brings
progress, it can only bring disaster because there is no sanctuary from the majority.
Report Al Dente October 16, 2014 2:26 PM BST
Having spent some years in Northern Nigeria before independence in 1960, I should say the only salvation for sub-Saharan Africa is re-colonisation. But we all know that is not going to happen.
Report ebulGery October 16, 2014 2:38 PM BST
It is a difficult problem Africa

But we have to help them  in their own countries, allowing them to come here is not the answer

I don't think British Colonialism was all bad for Africa(excluding the slave trade)

But I understand them wanting to govern their own countries


But I am against us forcing our values on them....we should just aid them where we can

I still think population increase is their worst enemy, even though others have pointed out the corruption there

We must get aid to the point of need better
Report call me a taxi October 16, 2014 4:40 PM BST
We could, but there's no 'must' about it.

Withdraw all foreign aid and see if their rich and corrupt heads of state want to dish up some pf their own money for the welfare of their own country.

If they don't, why should anybody else? 

Ban the heads of state from visiting other countries and let them get on with it.
Report Sica Dan October 16, 2014 4:44 PM BST
There are no pensions in Africa thus people have lots of
children who they trust will look after them in old age.
The same was probably true here back in the 18th/19 th centuri
Report scandanavian_haven October 16, 2014 4:48 PM BST
They have lots of children because they don't use condoms and many are raped without access to abortion clinics.
Report bix October 16, 2014 4:59 PM BST
The answer is to educate the people as long as the education is not done by the Catholic Church.
Report Al Dente October 16, 2014 5:12 PM BST
There can be no doubt that every country is entitled to its freedom and rule itself in which ever way it chooses. What in fact was a series of revolutions overtook African countries when independence from their masters was granted. The idea being that those countries could determine their own future for themselves.
Being strangers to the idea of democracy the inevitable dictatorships soon emerged.
The former masters have poured countless millions of various currencies into these countries, knowing that the cash will not trickle down; it is merely a greasing of the palms of those who have influence and can act in ways that are beneficial to the donors; eg oil, metals and agricultural products contracts are created for the mutual benefit of both parties.
The likes of Bob Geldof have exacerbated the situation by supplying enough extra food and thus assisting the birth rate to the extent that starvation is now endemic.
There is nothing that can be done. Just let them get on with it their self determination. Slavery? It is still alive and flourishing in many countries.
Report lfc1971 October 16, 2014 5:17 PM BST
Every country is not entitled to rule itself in which ever way it wants.
Report Injera October 16, 2014 5:18 PM BST
Aid hasn't worked.

Birth control isn't the answer. It's an under populated continent compared with say, Europe.

Africa can easily feed itself and prosper if 2 things occur.

1) End the corruption at the top. (the rumour is that there's more Kenyan Shillings in Swiss bank accounts than any other currency).

2) Local people show the kind of innovation we did 1000 years ago.

When I was in rural Ghana I saw scenes that would not be out of place in pehistoric films...
Report Foinavon October 16, 2014 5:22 PM BST
We could start by paying them decent prices for their raw materials and food products and stop dumping our own surplus products which destroys their internal markets.
China has become one of the biggest importers of African raw materials especially metals. They would need to be included in such a plan. Not getting my hopes up of anything happening soon.
Report brendanuk1 October 16, 2014 5:38 PM BST
2) Local people show the kind of innovation we did 1000 years ago.

oh yeah the great renaissance of the 900s Plain innovating better arrows and such like for a brighter future
Report ebulGery October 16, 2014 6:34 PM BST
There are no pensions in Africa thus people have lots of
children who they trust will look after them in old age.
The same was probably true here back in the 18th/19 th centuri


yes that is a problem Sica Dan

We could start by paying them decent prices for their raw materials and food products and stop dumping our own surplus products which destroys their internal markets.
China has become one of the biggest importers of African raw materials especially metals. They would need to be included in such a plan. Not getting my hopes up of anything happening soon.


I agree Foinavon

If people are starving we have to feed them

Africa is a different Culture
they cannot just become like us.

Communism may benefit Africa. But the West would never allow it.
We want to exploit Africa.

Africa's problems will not be solved overnight.....
We just aid them where we can..relatively speaking we can afford it
Report ebulGery October 16, 2014 6:52 PM BST
One of the problems we are having in Europe is we are suffering from a kind of invasion by African's

are we not..illegal immigration.

So if we can help them in their own countries it may benefit us

But we must remember they a are different culture, so we have to find ways of working with them.
Report ebulGery October 16, 2014 6:57 PM BST
I have witnessed the fall of Communism in Easter Europe

I have witnessed over 20 years of mindless slaughter in the M.East

Is the World now a better place for it?


We still have major problems in the M.East and we are now in economic war with Russia over Ukraine

Is this progress???????????????

I do not hold my breath over us solving Africa's problems tbh
Report call me a taxi October 16, 2014 7:15 PM BST
ebulGery
If people are starving we have to feed them


We don't HAVE to do anything.
Report ebulGery October 16, 2014 8:22 PM BST
No Taxi, it would seem hard if we don't that is all
Report call me a taxi October 16, 2014 8:34 PM BST
Hard to who?

All you're scared of is an accusatuion of racism for letting them starve.

If everybody on benefits in the UK applied for a job and got one, there would still be people on benefits left over.

There are more people on benefits than there are available jobs, but IDS still wants them to work, or he will get their money stopped.

So he is going to starve people, here in the UK.

Hence the existence of food banks.

Sort this country out first, not Africa.

(And the more that survive over there, the more will arrive here)
Report call me a taxi October 16, 2014 8:35 PM BST
On the telly less than 2 minutes ago

500,000+ used food banks last year.
Report call me a taxi October 16, 2014 8:38 PM BST
Fack this thread.
I layed the fav in the 8-30 at 2.88, but missed the race because I was typing.
It went to 9 in running. Cry

Fack it, starve'em Devil
Report ebulGery October 16, 2014 8:42 PM BST
I accept this annual aid is probably distorting their economies..

but how easy is it for us to eat our dinner, knowing somebody else in this world is starving to death

I believe Communism is the answer for Africa, but at the moment the West and free market capitalism has triumphed

a triumph of evil in my opinion, we have also become sexually decadent in the West

But we must work with the situation as it is now

Injera keeps saying population is not their problem, but if they are not feeding their population now

increasing their population is hardly going to helpCrazy

We forget we cure many more diseases now, not so many people die, we need to control our birth rate,

this is a World problem.
Report Injera October 16, 2014 8:48 PM BST
Without a change of mindset it doesn't matter whether the population of an Africa country is 5 or 20 million.

It's irrelevant.

People who are 7 hours away from here in west africa live in mud huts with straw roofs.

They rely on NGOs to dig wells for them. They do not harvest water or compost so their soil is like dust.

Europe's farmers were better than this 1000 yrs ago.

Sorry to bang on about it but it's the truth. Unless you choose to farm in an intelligent way you starve.

Africa has yet to learn this and that's why wherever white African farmers go they prosper and locals don't.
Report call me a taxi October 16, 2014 8:49 PM BST
but how easy is it for us to eat our dinner, knowing somebody else in this world is starving to death

No problem, for me.
Report ebulGery October 16, 2014 9:17 PM BST
Sad
Report ebulGery October 16, 2014 9:41 PM BST
change of mindset????????? injera

yes but this is not easy for them, this is Africa not Europe
this is a completely different culture..change will be slow


and as for population
anybody who thinks this World needs more people is mad in my opinioCrazy
we need a good deal less
Report ebulGery October 16, 2014 9:42 PM BST
This is the mistake the West makes
trying to change everybody to be like us
Report Al Dente October 18, 2014 1:51 AM BST
ebulGery, South Saharan Africa is a basket case. It is clear that after 50 or so years that there is no solution that the west can provide; it has to come from the indigenous people. I do not believe that the west wants everyone to be like us; we know that state of affairs is impossible.
Report Mc Moonbeam October 18, 2014 2:12 AM BST
I hate to say this , but people have been banging on about helping Africa since I was a young kid at school in the 70's , nothing's changed , despite the ENORMOUS amounts of Money in the civilised World today , Nobody Cares , Nobody ever has , or else things Would have been Done 10 years ago

Personally I see it as the Rich bleating on at Dole dossers in this country , Africa are the Dole Dossers of the World & Nobody is in a hurry to change that ..

We send them Millions in a Crisis , Europe hasn't helped them one bit throughout this crisis , Columbia sent them £62,000 (probably drug money) as good will

So stop Banging on about this bloody Ebola Crisis , nobody cares , not me , not you , and definitely not this Evil Government that send the Cash in a Crisis !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report lovegod October 18, 2014 11:26 AM BST
If we send aid then maybe our troops should be the ones dispersing the goods rather than the local government where most of it seems to disappear.
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