Via Flickr
Africa is blessed with troves of diamonds, sugar, coffee, salt, gold, iron, oil, cobalt (used in smartphones), and much more. So why is Africa the “poorest” continent?
The answer goes back hundreds of years, but it’s not just history - the “underdevelopment” of Africa is still happening today.
For hundreds of years, Europeans have exploited Africa, primarily through slavery.
According to Giovanni Vimercati, “Slavery was... the very basis of Western development and global supremacy.” After the “end” of slavery, however, European powers needed a new way to get rich.
They got together in Berlin, Germany in 1885 and split up the continent among themselves. Thus the countries that we know of today in Africa were largely created by Europe! These colonizers crippled local industries so locals couldn’t gain power.
Though Africa is now “independent,” European, American, and more recently, Asian corporations “invest” in Africa - by taking all of their resources. They still force African governments to rely on their infrastructure and foreign aid - or face punishment.
This continues today, both legally and illegally - a recent study has shown that over $15 billion in gold is STOLEN every year from the continent!
Foreign corporations, governments, and citizens - in some cases, Americans like us - benefit from Africa’s natural resources, but the people of the continent suffer. What will it take for Africa to be truly independent?