Africa Calling

In the spring of 1992 when my better half announced at the dinner table "We’re moving to Africa," my first horrified reaction was "Are you taking us there to die?"

A very ignorant, hasty question, I found in retrospect.

Almost five years of actually living and working there changed my negative media-fed perspective of the largest, most populous continent on earth.

It has 53 nation states with a rich diversity of people, language, flora and fauna.

It is the birthplace of all humankind and despite its poor, war-ravaged, hungry image is still the richest in natural resources… gold, diamonds, petroleum, coffee, cocoa, timber, platinum and most recently uranium among other things, making it the most attractive place for investments.

Further, rivers, fish-filled coastlines, deep jungle, the largest number of animals still in the wild and a glorious culture of art, craft, dance, music, cuisine and sport make Africa the true Garden of Eden where I found tranquillity, harmony and an openness that reflects the vast savannahs, the forests and the oceans.

It was because of the rich natural resources that colonial Europe scrambled for and occupied all of Africa except for Ethiopia and Liberia from the early 19th century until the end of World War II. That left the continent in a divided, devastated shambles that has still not changed.

Today Africa stands at the crossroads, in a poorly managed mess, riddled with conflict and disease but still rich beyond anyone’s dreams. Add to that half of its 888 million inhabitants are under the age of 25 waiting to take their place in a world economy.

It is heartening to see that the UAE and in particular etisalat is investing about Dh40 billion to create communication links across the continent. Those links will help Africa and all those young Africans to come of age in an era where they could be poor but they need not be left behind.

The Greek word "Aphrike" meant "without cold and horror". It’s never horribly cold in Africa but it is time for the horror of war and disease to cool off so that Africans can again stand majestically tall.

Nirmala Janssen
Editor@alnisrmedia.com
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