I must first cheer up all these great contributors whom in their individual
capacities gave very sound analysis  when Africa's future has been
questioned- Africa and the new millennium.

The inter-trade link policy mentioned by Bojang would be one of the most
outstanding economic strategies that could help to raise and sustain the
economies of Africa. There are number of rutines involved in this policy,
which together can create economic gains and increase demands for goods and
services aswell supply. In short this means the way towards self sufficiency
!

A first strategic directive concerns the nature of the excercise itself.
However , the will to survive can answer to that ,hence the determination to
prevail, expand , the desire for development and the existence of collective
forces capable of making such transactions, to work and hope for solutions
and results -the task of our policy makers which involes certain basic
socio-ecomic questions which I think if treated thoughroughly and
considerably may give not only qick but outstanding results on our
economies.  Why is the average African poor? What can we do about that?
Which resources are available? How to utilize these resources ? why are the
economies increasingly getting stagnant over a very long period of time? the
questions can go on and on...

The present African economy remains largely dependant at the moment on the
west for its monetary stability and balance of trade equilibrium-  economy
and monetary transactions designed by the west to fit within the
requirements of their (Europeans) membership in European Economic Community
, and the results maginally diversfied for investment and more genuine aid
to other European countries.

It has nearly become a taboo to blame the west for all the misfortunes in
Africa- using the colonial masters as scape-goats. The irony of whole
situation is that our leaders and "interlectuals" have  not yet, still
produce their own "economic models" and since, our administrative structures
and economies are based cloely on the western models, we became the obvious
reference point for economic activity and assesment, which our leaders and
"economy planers" seems or pretend not realize.

There are fragile, brittle, almeaningless economic policies- foriegn aid and
lousy debts, such policies are the congental weaknesses that left Africa to
the mercy of widely contradictory interpritations of the economies.

African leaders must be consented to see the future of Africa to self
suficiency and not dependants! The question should be asked if governments
can spend their way out of depressions or is it the only sound policy one of
keeping expenditures equal to tax resources ?

Our foriegn policies since efter indepence  must be accorded to anlysis of
the role of the expatriates and the effects of their presence. For expl.
francophone- zone of Africa, which are still gealousely guarded by France
for their economic interest, would be very difficult to intergrate in to the
English speaking countries of Africa's economic policies. The reason for
this is that the French-zone of Africa has been for a long time enclave
provencial France, existed along side the most advance expiment of the
French colonial policy of assimilation. This  created standards contrary to
our standards- the socio-economic independence!

No panic ! On the economic and political point of view Africa is still a
very rich continent, She just need the right people who are interested in
her development "toil her soil".

The challenges ahead is to be prepared for economic independency inorder to
be ensured self suficiency. We must limit and gradually sustain the closure
foreign aids and open up more widely for trade links within the continent,
a commom African market. We must be prepared foran overall decline in
western direct and indirect aid.
The most natural direction for diversfication of Africa's economic ties is
the "African common market !"

Long live Africa
Yahya



>From: [log in to unmask]
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Africa and the new millennium
>Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 23:56:03 EDT
>
>Ebrima,
>That was a wonderful piece. I do not know the audience that was addressed,
>but the material was very fundamental. Only radical solutions by very
>radical
>leaders will be able to change and prepare Africa for the millennium. I am
>not sure if it was an oversight, but I do not think we all need to fool
>ourselves thinking that Africa is very rich in natural resources. All those
>resources have either been sold or stolen. The only resources in Africa now
>and the last one is the human resources. To solve Africa's' problem
>arguably
>is going to take a dare I do actions. The catastrophe state Africa is now
>in
>needs no book tiger economists to envision that unless we are able to
>produce
>and consume what we produce and focus on the industry of producing the
>machinery and inputs based on our needs, the hunger and poverty that wound
>Africa in the 20th. century will be its killer in the 21st.
>It is always easy to blame the West and their enslaved economic
>Institutions,
>but the real and only criminals are our owns. Africa is betrayed by its
>leaders and its paper tiger "intellectuals." As they always say, "our
>people
>will never understand us": when they are the ones who need to understand
>Africa better. They are equally guilty of not being able to articulate and
>communicate what is needed or even come to face the tasks. Unless they are
>also able to grip the reality and forget the conventional meaning of an
>"intellectual," they are equally betraying the African interest.
>And you know what, one thing you did not mention in the solutions to
>prepare
>us for the better future is Inter-trade in the continent. I am not an
>economist, but it sounds very sensible to me and very essential for
>reversing
>the situations for the turn of the century. May be some economist on the L-
>will enlighten us more on that.
>
>Ousman Bojang.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
>Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------