| | The British Prime Minister's Commission for Africa Report was published amidst fanfare, even bluster and brave talks about 'new beginnings' and 'great windows of opportunity'. It never ceases to amaze me why we are supposed to settle for windows when we have a whole continent full of gates, fields and mountains of opportunities! The reaction has generally been mixed whether in Africa or globally including Britain itself. This is largely because Africa and her momentous challenges has never lacked focus but has always been short-changed, if not surcharged when it comes to concrete action to realise the often declared good intentions - either declared by ourselves or by others to us. As someone who has been critical of the Commission as an unnecessary project - a waste of time / energy / money that could have been put to better use and a diversion from what Africans are doing and want to do for themselves, there is not much in the report to make me lose my scepticism. It has actually triggered more questions. |
