Africa's Problem is a Crisis in Leadership.

Nelson Mandela

Many African countries gained independence in the 1960s. And yet, 50 years later, the continent still grapples with the same issues it encumbered at the time of independence. War, disease, and poverty are still very much widespread throughout Africa. Even the so called African success story countries have not been global players as yet. Countries such as Botswana, Mauritius, and Rwanda, though continental success stories, have not still made it to the top globally. Many countries came up with vision and mission statements in order to project their global goal. However, the vision and mission goals were quickly discarded as the due dates approached.

True, the continent is growing, but one has to ask whether this growth will lift all tides with it, or will it merely be a pipe dream that will be extinguished as fast as it arises? The continet's main problem is a crisis in leadership. Once the continent fixes its leadership problems, then it will be in a pilot position to take its rightful place in the world. Africa is the most unstable continent in the world. It comes to the global table as a late comer, and even then, it only gets the food crumbs, after everyone else has eaten. Some will want to say that Africa was at the same level of development as the so called Asian Tigers, but those countries are so far ahead at present that one would not even believe that they were nearly at the same stage in the 1960s.

Every year, thousands of African youngsters routinely die trying to cross the Mediterranean, so that they can get a better life abroad. The images of Europe as a land of milk and honey only serve to reinforce the urge by Africa's youngsters that there fortunes will be better abroad. The youngsters are leaving because there are no jobs, because they see no chance of making it in their home country. They are leaving because Europe assures them of hope.

Africa then must fix its leadership. It must get transformational leaders who will be able to diagnose the continent's problems, and propose relevant solutions. This will require that the continent first of all creates the right structures to identify able and capable leaders. The parties must be ideological, rather than tribal based. Equally, elections must be peaceful, as too often, investors flee at the time of elections. The more the elections are close, the greater the potential for violence.

While the current growth rates are indeed laudable, even inspirational, the only true safeguard for Africa will be an assurance of a forward thinking leadership. Everything else will not amount to much.