Opinion & Analysis
Free Africans for global trade
World Bank’s Doing Business report says acquiring a construction permit in sub-Saharan Africa is expensive, giving way to informal plans. Photo/FILE
Posted Monday, November 30 2009 at 00:00
Another favourite culprit for the ills of Africa is the international organisations that have promoted globalisation since the ‘80s, with the World Bank and the IMF seeking liberalisation and budgetary reforms.
The idea was that the private sector would take over the failed job of building economies.
But these reforms could not work without better governance, focusing on the ease of doing business, corruption and the rule of law.
The job was half done, badly, with unintended consequences.
With more of the real globalisation that Africa needs — not just international trade but local and regional free trade — there would be more competition, more local businesses.
But this presupposes the liberation of Africans’ energy and innovation: unshackled Africans can then seize the opportunities they deserve.
Dr Martin is an economist and editor of the Francophone free-trade project www.UnMondeLibre.org.
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