Political science
Africa Changing Development prospect and its place in the global economy
Africa `s development is driven by external commodities demand, not domestic demands and therefore lacks the fundamentals necessary to break out of this dependency. Do you agree?
ANSWER
Introduction
For a long time, Africa has been considered a wealthy continent in the globe. This is because of the rich natural resource, wildlife, culture, and natural resource. There is a huge attraction in the tourists, explorers, and imperialists who visit the African continent annually. During the Covid-19 pandemic, African countries received medical aid and monetary and food supply from Western countries to fight the disaster. The Western country has created modern and technological measures to enhance better education where several African residents have migrated to seek better lives. The agricultural resources, minerals, labor force, and opportunities are some of the main factors that the Western countries benefit from in African countries (Caligiuri et al., 2020). However, the European countries seek to reap the economic and territorial benefits that African governments have created. This paper, therefore, will analyze why development in Africa is driven by external commodities and not domestic demands reducing the economical stability in the continent.
- Foreign Aid
There is a high dependency rate on foreign aid commodities among African countries. Foreign aid commodities have impacted the development needs and have also destroyed the economic budget system in most countries in Africa. There is a high independency in the foreign commodities that is considered high servicing costs in the African continent. The foreign countries providing this aid have always imposed policy conditions that have not served the African interests. Large deficits have affected the physical and human capital development capacity. The foreign aid organizations such as United Nations have set a Gross National Income (GNI), which provides for poor African countries (Caligiuri et al., 2020). The US also has set programs focused on transforming the African development services state, such as USAID services. However, surprisingly all the aid commodities provided to Africa has not met the needs and goals of the continent.
The commodities aid provided to Africa is not correlated with the human capital and the income levels. According to US aid statistics, low-income countries with less than $ 735 accounts for three-quarters of people living in poverty but can receive one-third of the total aid (Higgs 2012). During the Covid-19 pandemic, African countries were the most affected continent, which greatly made most countries focus on foreign aid assistance for survival. The African countries depending on the loans, therefore, will forget some of the ways of improving their resources to produce money. Aid commodities provided to Africa is subject to uncertainty and volatility. There are cumbersome legal administrative procedures that African countries are forced to abide by in meeting the threshold required. However, these policies have affected most African projects to stalls such as schools, roads, and energy and water programs (Higgs 2012). The collapse of such important projects in Africa has caused an economic dislocation, leading to focusing on the western commodities.
- International Trade
Trading rates among foreign countries is one of the main sources of income among African countries. In 2020 European Union was the main trading partner among African countries with 28% exports and imports goods. China is the second trading partner with African countries, estimated to be 23% imports (Kourentzes et al, 2021). The main commodities that African countries are producing for imports and exports include drinks, tobacco, sugar, and meat. The increase in trade has led to the growth in the industrialization rates among most countries in Africa. There is an increase in the re-export trade in the coastal and inland states in machinery, spare parts, and transport equipment. Some of the common currencies which have evolved from the preferences in the operations of the colonial powers include the economic and monetary community of central Africa (CEMAC). Export trading is currently the main source of income and economic stability in Africa. The discovery of petroleum in countries such as Libya, Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, and Gabon led to establishment of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) (Ndulu 2007). The mineral discovery was in high demand in the foreign countries than in Africa creating an increase in the demand of the commodity. The African countries are still enjoying the links with several western countries, a move that has helped most Western countries be stronger and untouchable. The following commodities produced heavily by the African countries have increased the dependency rate on foreign countries.
iii. Research studies from Western Countries
Research today holds a special position in the strategic and indispensable position in the growth of human society, human endeavors, educational, medical, and agricultural. The research organizations in western countries have stood out in investing their capital in seeking solutions for their problems. Sub-Saharan Africa, therefore, should set modern laboratories in conducting proper research studies on the challenges that affect the production of economic services in their country (Kourentzes et al, 2021). Most African countries have not invested in the mainstream scientific research measures, a move that has affected the productivity rate among these countries. Many foreign biomedical scientists come to Africa to teach how the healthcare sector can eradicate certain diseases. There are several outreach research centers created by the Americans and European universities in providing economic opportunities. This research centers outreach programs receive funding from the western countries for operations. The post-colonial syndrome is another disease that consumes the African countries.
The research centers provide numerous benefits to the local communities in Africa; however, the expatiators who have invested in the programs benefit from these programs, and they set measures that will only benefit them. Western countries provide quality education from post to undergraduate programs than African countries. A huge number of African students prefer registering for education programs in European countries to seek better education services than African Universities. The research programs offer the locals a higher salary than their counterparts working in other research firms. The expatriate is taking the resources and skills acquired from Africa to their countries, a move that kills the local sector’s growth. The over-dependency on western countries kills the local growth of industries. The Leadership system in Africa needs to create different ways to create new research centers in the country. The investigation states that most foreign investors are mainly focused on improving their programs and brands in the country.
- Western Culture
Western culture has a tremendous impact on the African economical growth. There has been a rise in acculturation and improvement in the value system among the African society due to western culture dominance. The African natives have given way to the European culture to be superior to their own. Africans have emulated western culture so much that it has become part and parcel of their lives. The African problems came from the adoption of western culture in their economy. Africa’s social systems were working effectively until the western began selling their policies and way of life. However, currently, the African culture has been charged to be an enemy of progress in the social and economic stability of the country. Working abroad has been investigated to be improving the skills, competencies, and abilities of individuals.
The minimum wage bill has helped empower all classes of individuals, a move that has attracted African counterparts. Most of the African residents have migrated in search of better employment opportunities. There are numerous industries in western countries that employ African residents. Some schools want teachers to work in their systems, the tourism sector, the tech and business sector, and the engineering construction and energy sector. Western culture has brainwashed Africans to believe that it is the sole solution to the social, economic, and political challenges affecting them. The African morals and ethics have changed tremendously after adopting the western cultures. The upcoming African generations have confused the western cultures to be theirs, a move that has tremendously affected the productivity of the African countries (Ndulu 2007). The act of believing and trusting the western culture is the main factor in destroying the economic stability of the African country. Abandoning the African culture and emulating the western lifestyle is a key factor in economic degradation.
- Employment Opportunities
Western countries have job opportunities that fight the preferences and choices of every individual. It does not matter whether you are a graduate or a high school lever working abroad has the power to transform a person’s lifestyle. Working abroad has been investigated to be improving the skills, competencies, and abilities of individuals. The minimum wage bill has helped empower all classes of individuals, a move that has attracted African counterparts. Most of the African residents have migrated in search of better employment opportunities. There are numerous industries in western countries that employ African residents (Caligiuri et al., 2020). Some schools want teachers to work in their systems, the tourism sector, the tech and business sector, and the engineering construction and energy sector.
African residents have more trust in the western employment system as they will better their lives and those of their loved ones. Working abroad exposes the residents to the African communities who are staying locally. Most African countries have not invested in the mainstream scientific research measures, a move that has affected the productivity rate among these countries. Many foreign biomedical scientists come to Africa to teach how the healthcare sector can eradicate certain diseases. There are several outreach research centers created by the Americans and European universities in providing economic opportunities. This research centers outreach programs receive funding from the western countries for operations. The post-colonial syndrome is another disease that consumes the African countries.
- Brain Drain
Brain drain is one of the major challenges African countries face in the modern era. The skilled and experienced human resource migrates from Africa to European countries in offering services drives the demand from the foreign countries. According to the statistics done by the African Union states that over 70000 African residents migrate from Africa to foreign countries in offering their skills. Currently, Africa is enjoying a youthful and energetic labor force estimated to be 10 to 12 million every year. However, the African continent can only create 3 million jobs annually (Kourentzes et al, 2021). The limited economic opportunities have forced young Africans to migrate to Europe and America annually. The IMF world Economic Outlook states that many Africans are migrating to OECD countries in 2016 alone. In 2013, it was estimated that the African migrating to foreign countries stood at 7 million, but this number can grow to 30 million in 2050 (Kourentzes et al, 2021). In 2013, the countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and France held an estimated 50% of Africans in their countries. The island countries of Africa are the most affected by the brain drain impact as countries in Cape Verde, Mauritius, and Seychelles. The Africans have failed to improve their economic services in the country, which has led to most immigrants moving to other countries in search of better opportunities. Brain drain is a clear indication that most African countries depend entirely on foreign countries in economic stability.
Conclusion
The African continent has faced numerous political, economic, and social challenges in society today. The problems generally have been generated from over-dependency on western countries commodities. After analyzing this paper, African countries therefore are directly dependant on the western supremacy to grow their brands in the market than their local products. The Western country has created modern and technological measures to enhance better education where several African residents have migrated to seek better lives. The agricultural resources, minerals, labor force, and opportunities are some of the main factors that the Western countries benefit from in African countries. However, the European countries seek to reap the economic and territorial benefits that African governments have created. There are cumbersome legal administrative procedures that African countries are forced to abide by in meeting the threshold required. However, these policies have affected most African projects to stalls such as schools, roads, and energy and water projects.
References
Caligiuri, P., De Cieri, H., Minbaeva, D., Verbeke, A., & Zimmermann, A. (2020). International HRM insights for navigating the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for future research and practice. Journal of international business studies, 51, 697-713.
Higgs, P. (2012). African philosophy and the decolonisation of education in Africa: Some critical reflections. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 44, 37-55.
Kourentzes, N., Saayman, A., Jean-Pierre, P., Provenzano, D., Sahli, M., Seetaram, N., & Volo, S. (2021). Visitor arrivals forecasts amid COVID-19: A perspective from the Africa team. Annals of Tourism Research, 88, 103197.
Ndulu, B. J. (2007). Challenges of African growth: Opportunities, constraints, and strategic directions. World Bank Publications.
