Editorial
Dilemma of the Diaspora
After more than five years away from home, your correspondent returned to East Africa. Making a pitstop in Dubai, I was reminded of how global the economy really is. Burger King fries in this part of the world taste exactly the same as those in New Orleans and in London.
In Nairobi, the road to my former apartment is now engorged the construction of new residences and roads as a result of all manner of foreign direct investment (FDI). Uganda is another story, though. In the first place, although the road between Entebbe International Airport is, like in Nairobi, filled with signs of progress, one cannot help – if they listen to opinion leaders – but fill their souls with fear and loathing. The Ugandan papers scream corruption and everyone will tell you to keep your opinions to yourself, lest you end up dead like one of the cantankerous members of Uganda’s Parliament did.
Over in Tanzania, after the relative speed of things in Nairobi and Kampala, Dar-es-Salaam was especially a breath of fresh, hot, sticky and sweaty sea air. Most of all, it was like time stood still for the former capital city. But it was a good place to settle down for a little R’n’R. And when I did, the reality of being in the Diaspora hit me: The task of bringing development to one’s people is much more arduous a task than one expects.
Helplessness. Trepidation. Fear. Loathing. Anguish. Cynicism. A few words to express the topline emotions on being home.
On the other hand, there was evidence of the Chinese everywhere. It was not just limited to the pots and pans and clothes – Made in China: There were billboards in Chinese alongside the KiSwahili and English ones in Nairobi. There was a sign apologizing for the inconveniences associated with the Chinese road construction right there in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! A quick look at what that country is doing on the continent should attest to how much economic firepower the most significant Middle Kingdom has. There are new Chinese roads, hospitals, stadiums and buildings in all 54 African countries.
Now, with the alacrity that comes the pangs associated with away-from-home guilt, one is compelled to want to match what China is doing to the continent. Good or bad, the reality is that any sign of progress benefits the People.
For instance, whoever paid for and built the Northern Bypass highway in Kampala, Uganda, we will be more than happy to release 1,000 white doves to celebrate how much this road network helped us while we were there! Conversely, there are not as many of us in China as there may be in the US or in Europe and Middle East. Many of us want to take the very things we have now grown accustomed to back to our home countries: The basic freedoms, the health services, the road and infrastructure networks, and the financial services so we can reduce the debilitatingly high interest rates loan sharks and commercial banks charge business people!
But under the circumstances, apart from our paltry remittances – a collective US$40 billion annually – there’s just too much money sitting on the sidelines here in the West. The U.S. does less than 3 percent of her entire gross domestic product (GDP) in trade with Africa. This includes all aid, business relationships and foreign direct investment and trade.
Even when all 50 American states increased exports to the continent, all this is collectively less than US$32 billion as per FY 2011/2012 figures. This is just pathetic! Even more pathetic is the fact the Americans cannot even agree on what is good for their own country. How can we expect them to come up with a comprehensive way to invest in Africa and benefit the Africans like the Chinese are currently doing?
As for the United Kingdom, not only are the English considering severing their relationship with the European Union: The former Nick Clegg/David Cameron coalition is coming apart as the country returns to recession!
What is a passionate Diaspora like ours supposed to do? This is the Dilemma of the Diaspora. We see the trillions of dollars doing nothing in American banks and in the accounts of companies that could be minting money on our continent. Then we see China cutting all kinds of deals with African leaders while looking away as these very leaders take their people astray. Looking inwards, we also see how myopic, parochial, petty and incompetent America’s leaders are in juxtaposition to the pragmatic Chinese, Indians, Brazilians and even the Turks – and we cannot muster the courage to criticize those who run Africa aground.
Thus, before we wish you a Happy New Year, we need to ask: Can we depend on the US Congress and even Obama to channel through the kind of legislation that gave us the Africa Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA) in 2000? Should we worry that China is going to ‘recolonize’ as many black nations as it possibly can given its massive amounts of money? This sad state of affairs kills the pure joy of being back home.
On the other hand, our optimism propels us forward to pragmatic solutions. The Habari Network will address some of these over the next few days – starting with what a potential mutually beneficial New Deal for Africa could look like. And with this, have a Happy New Year!
Dennis Matanda
Editor – editor@thehabarinetwork.com