Turn Up the Volume

From entertainers U2 and Snoop Dogg, to businessmen Bill Gates and Bob Geldof, to international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank, Africa seems to be on everyone's lips.

So, what's all the fuss? Why Africa? Why now?

Activist and U2 frontman Bono, who co-founded the One Campaign and (RED), makes a compelling case for taking a hard look at the numbers associated with Africa. So, we did just that, and we found some things to shout about and some things to sing about. 

Numbers That Don't Add Up

Although the proportion of Africans living on less than $1.25 a day fell from 58% in 1996 to 50% in 2009, around 388 million Africans still live in extreme poverty. The continent is home to 39 of the world's 79 poorest countries and 23 of the 24 countries ranked lowest in human development.

Agriculture accounts for 70% of its labor force and 40% of its exports, but Africa's share of world trade has shrunk by about $70 billion annually over the last 40 years as the result of trade barriers and farming subsidies in developed nations.

One out of every four African countries currently suffers the effects of armed conflict. Some 15 million Africans in conflict affected countries have been displaced within their own borders and another 4.5 million were forced to flee to neighboring countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has just over 10% of the world's population but is home to about 67% of all people living with HIV—22.4 million. There are currently 13 million AIDS orphans—in countries badly affected by the epidemic such as Zambia and Botswana, it is estimated that 20% of children under 17 are orphans.

Malaria is an equally daunting and devastating disease. Sometimes referred to as the silent tsunami, this mosquito born infection claims some 2,800 Africans per day. That's more than a million people dying each year from a treatable disease!

So, if the talk about Africa is getting louder, it's because there is a lot to shout about!

Building Momentum, Bridging Hope

Not all the news is bad news, though. We see a lot of promise in how many people are joining the talk about Africa and how many people are listening—including you.

We've also found evidence that tremendous gains are being made, and it's worth singing about!

Debt Relief

Twenty years after Live Aid rocked 1.5 million people awake to the famine in Ethiopia, Live 8 concerts took place globally in 10 venues, featuring 150 bands and 1,250 musicians, to raise awareness about several crises on the continent. The July 2005 concerts were heard by more than 3 million people over 182 television networks and 2,000 radio networks. Organizer Bob Geldolf described the concert as "… the starting point for The Long Walk To Justice; the one way we can all make our voices heard in unison."

Simultaneously, at the 2005 G8 conference at Gleneagles, world leaders pledged to cancel 100% of the debts of some of the world's poorest countries, as well as double aid to Africa by 2010.

The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, African Union, New Partnership for Africa's Development, African Development Bank, African Partnership Forum and other partners are working hard to fulfill those promises as well as other significant initiatives as part of a larger Africa Action Plan.

Economic Changes

Sub-Saharan Africa—long tagged a high-cost, high-risk place to do business—is becoming a more hospitable destination for investors. Between 2002-2009, it attracted about $192.9 billion in foreign direct investment, and the 2010 Doing Business report – which ranks 183 economies on the ease of doing business based on ten indicators – saw Rwanda emerge as the top reformer. This is the first time a Sub-Saharan African country has achieved that distinction. Liberia was one of four newcomers among the global top ten reformers.

Liberia, the second-fastest reforming economy in the region, eased procedures for business start-up, reduced fees for construction permits, and sped trade with a new one-stop center. Sierra Leone introduced a company law that strengthened investor protections, enhanced access to credit, and provided for the reorganization of troubled firms. It also established a one-stop center for business registration. Burkina Faso also made many improvements, including simplifying procedures for construction permits, improving contract enforcement, streamlining property registration, easing business start-up, and expediting trade. Mali also reformed in five areas. Other leading reformers were Angola, Cameroon, and Ethiopia; and South Africa lowered taxes on domestic firms.

The push to encourage home grown businesses is paying off—both locally and globally. Several African countries are able to produce at a global level and compete on world markets. Both Kenya and Ethiopia sell their flowers in Europe and Senegalese vegetables are offered in the Parisian grocery stores.

All of these changes do add up to a positive impact. Between 2000 and 2008 GDP per capita growth in Sub-Saharan Africa was 54%. And exports rose from $319 billion in 2007 to $413.7 billion in 2008, a 29.7% rise.

Conflict

Skilled political leadership, international support, and Africans' desire for peace have led to real progress in addressing conflicts—Uganda, Rwanda, and Mozambique are examples of countries that have made turnarounds. The Transitional Demobilization and Reintegration Program, a collaboration of regional governments, donors, the World Bank, the United Nations, regional organizations and international financial institutions, is actively supporting the return of ex-combatants to civilian life in 7 African countries.

HIV/AIDS

Among 25 low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, domestic government spending on AIDS increased by 130% since 2001, reaching a total allocation of US$ 640 million in 2005. The increase among upper middle-income countries outside sub-Saharan Africa in the same period was approximately 10%.

Since 2000, the Bank has provided $1.9 billion for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support in over 30 Sub-Saharan African countries and 5 regional programs.

Malaria

The Roll Back Malaria initiative, which was launched in 1998 by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, and UNDP, was given a further boost in 2005 when the Bank launched the Global Strategy and Booster Program. In Phase I of the program, which ended in June 2008, the Bank committed US$455.2 million. This reflects a nine-fold increase compared with what was spent in 2000 – 2005.

"It's a 10-year fight," says Gobind Nankani, Vice President of the World Bank's Africa Region. "Our goal is both to prevent the disease and to ensure the population at risk has access to timely medical help."

Additionally, resources are being provided by the Gates Foundation, which announced new funding in October 2005 for Malaria Research and Development (R&D). Through the foundation, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melissa increased their commitment by $258.3 million to find a malaria vaccine, new drugs, and improved mosquito control methods.

Action = Results

When you are the business owner, teacher, pilot, council chair, Premier, Chancellor or President, what type of world do you want to inherit? It's probably the same one you want right now: one in which all people enjoy the opportunity and choices to create healthy and creative lives.

Right now the convergence of financial and social resources has placed Africa in the spotlight but it's up to all of us—individuals, institutions and governments—to keep it center stage. So, keep talking with your friends, families and teachers about the challenges and progress in Africa. A brighter future for Africa is a brighter future for us all!

What Youthink! Heard From You!

Here are a few "Adjectives of Africa" that you sent in."The adjectives that come to my mind when I think of Africa are poor, needy, uneducated, hungry and thirsty."—British Youthink! visitor, age 13

"What amazes me is how Africa and its people seem to be on a track of extinction. 365 days of the year, the people of that continent are either killing each other or dying of AIDS, malaria, etc. From the segregation and killings of Rwanda to the conflicts in Sudan and Nigeria. Something must be done." —Bangladeshi Youthink! visitor, age 17

"Poverty being a major toll in Africa. Employment too follows as a setback of the same. Lack of proper business skills also leads to procrastination of creativity among the youth. If education was given a fast priority, then the nation could be miles away on issues of development." —Kenyan Youthink! visitor, age 25