The Dark and Bright Sides of Africa

THE DARK SIDE

Africa is 8'000 km long and 7'600 km wide. The continent has an area of 30.3 million km2 and counts 900 million people in access, of which 80% lives in deep poverty. Africa is considered to be a dangerous continent with countless wars (civil & tribal), tremendous high crime rates, dictators and high corruption, fear for AIDS/HIV and Ebola, and with parts of Nigeria considered to be a living hellhole on earth. Poverty brings suffering, corruption and criminality. Those are a few of the many problems in Africa, and some of the reasons why so few western companies are willing to do business with Africa or to seriously invest.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

Modern Africa is more than its rampant political problems - themselves vastly misunderstood. It's more than a distant motherland, its people are more than charity beggars, corrupt politicians, or uncivilized barbarians, fodder for missionaries bent on 'saving' them. Africa has a rich history of stable and unique civilizations that deserve a place in world history. Africa's modern history has also earned an as-yet-unrecognized place in the world events that have effected everyone in the western world, such as world wars and the cold war. Africa and its history should be recognized not only for its contribution to human history but because it's worthwhile, interesting and unique on its own. The general business in Africa is “small-small” as they call it here. For many western companies there is not much money to make on all that “small-small business”. But Africa has so much more to offer. Africa has an enormous reservoir of natural and human resources, and a new consciousness. It believes in its own great future again. That should be the reason to invest in Africa to stake your claim for the future, for products of the rich soil and waters: coffee, cocoa, mango, papaya, pine apple, wine, fish, tobacco, logging, iron ore, gold, platinum, tantalum (coltan), niobium, diamonds, bauxite, and oil. Also consider tourism, commodoties, medical herbs, exotic flowers & plants and rubber.

Yours Truly,
Ferdinand Che.