Poverty is more or less a manifestation of how a society shares its resources and how much of these (natural) resources are there overall. While some individuals describe poverty as a disease, others believe that poverty is a product of ignorance. Regardless, Africa has occupied an unenviable position worldwide as the Mecca of poverty.
Statistically speaking, 34 out of the 50 nations on the 2006 UN list of least developed countries are in Africa. In 1820, the salary of an average European worker was about three times that of the average African, yet the same European worker would earn twenty times what the average African earns today. Yes, the GDP per capita incomes in Africa has increased significantly, unfortunately compare with other …show more content…
Although one could rightly say that poverty has been reduced worldwide from about 40% to fewer than 20% in the last 30 years, this significant achievement is barely visible in many African countries. Presently, over 40% of people living in sub-Saharan Africa are still battling with absolute poverty. Amongst those African countries, which are blessed with natural resources, extreme inequalities between their rich and poor citizens are a cause for concern. Arguably, poverty eradication in Africa has witnessed some progress in the last 60 years; Africa still has a long way to go – especially, having in mind that the continent has the potential to make a big difference. While many countries in the world have made significant progress in the areas of health, education, infrastructure, living standard etc., the majority of African countries with their different unique …show more content…
From more than $500 billion, which Africa has received from the West in the form of direct aid, a greater percent of this money has found itself in private accounts stocked up in the same Western countries where the financial aid comes from. Sadly, rather than investing in medical care, education, pensions, industries, etc, another part of the aid, goes to misplaced investment priorities like weapons and defence, with little or no income or developmental results. Worse still, some African countries, ironically buy weapons from the same Western aid donors. The investment in defence often gives rise to conflicts, including long standing civil wars, which result in economic and social destruction. A case in point is Sierra Leone and Liberia, still bleeding from the economic hemorrhaging of the civil war, despite the huge natural resources the countries have. One needs not mention the Somalia
Statistically speaking, 34 out of the 50 nations on the 2006 UN list of least developed countries are in Africa. In 1820, the salary of an average European worker was about three times that of the average African, yet the same European worker would earn twenty times what the average African earns today. Yes, the GDP per capita incomes in Africa has increased significantly, unfortunately compare with other …show more content…
Although one could rightly say that poverty has been reduced worldwide from about 40% to fewer than 20% in the last 30 years, this significant achievement is barely visible in many African countries. Presently, over 40% of people living in sub-Saharan Africa are still battling with absolute poverty. Amongst those African countries, which are blessed with natural resources, extreme inequalities between their rich and poor citizens are a cause for concern. Arguably, poverty eradication in Africa has witnessed some progress in the last 60 years; Africa still has a long way to go – especially, having in mind that the continent has the potential to make a big difference. While many countries in the world have made significant progress in the areas of health, education, infrastructure, living standard etc., the majority of African countries with their different unique …show more content…
From more than $500 billion, which Africa has received from the West in the form of direct aid, a greater percent of this money has found itself in private accounts stocked up in the same Western countries where the financial aid comes from. Sadly, rather than investing in medical care, education, pensions, industries, etc, another part of the aid, goes to misplaced investment priorities like weapons and defence, with little or no income or developmental results. Worse still, some African countries, ironically buy weapons from the same Western aid donors. The investment in defence often gives rise to conflicts, including long standing civil wars, which result in economic and social destruction. A case in point is Sierra Leone and Liberia, still bleeding from the economic hemorrhaging of the civil war, despite the huge natural resources the countries have. One needs not mention the Somalia