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Famine in Africa
Yet another • threat of famine now casts its shadow over parts of Africa. The latest report from London which monitors the situation in the troubled continent better than any other world capital, says more than 20 million people may be facing the disaster, a majority of them in six countries : Sudan. Ethiopia. Mozambique. Malawi. Angola and Liberia. Pledges made so far by the international community, especially western nations, to help Africa avert the famine appear to be hopelessly inadequate. Only about five million pounds are said to have been promised, while in Ethiopia, only 20.000 tonnes of foodgrains have been delivered against the estimated need of a million tonnes. The situation seems almost hopeless. Africa is certain to face yet another difficult year in 1991
There are several reasons which have contributed to the worsening of the situation in Africa. Most traditional donor nations and UN agencies are now far too preoccupied with the relief operation in Kuwait and Iraq to think of the needs in Africa The international aid agencies are also concerned with the needs of the so-called frontline states and of countries like Bangladesh. Srl Lanka and the Philippines which have suffered heavy losses due to the Iraqi aggression. Again, the needs of the emerging democracies in Eastern Europe and. for that matter, of the Soviet Union are also making new demands on traditional aid agencies.
It cannot be denied that whatever may be the priorities facing the donor agencies, there is a general aid fatigue which affects the food assistance programme for Africa. The scenario has remained largely unchanged for more than a decade, with more and more people coming to believe, sometimes without much Justification, that efforts from within Africa do not always match the international programme. More cynical ones assume, without realising that there are some food surplus countries, say. like Zimbabwe, that Africa is incapable of feeding itself.
While a number of these assumptions are incorrect, there is no doubt that the lasting answer — perhaps the only answer — of the food problem lies within Africa. In the first place, civil wars in many of the countries facing the threat of famine have halted all normal economic activities, including production and distribution of food. The situation is so bad — and almost shameful — that International food supplies cannot even reach certain areas, due to obstacles placed by either the government forces or rebels.
It seems a number of countries in Africa facing economic mismanagement which contributes to the food crisis are essentially authoritarian states whose resources are plundered by dictators and where there is no genuine popular involvement in economic projects. If the political system changes in favour of popular democracy, as it is now happening in Mali, a new process may be set in motion bringing hope where there now exists only despair. After Mali. Somalia and Liberia may be next in line to find their new destiny.
Africa has no shortage of good, competent leaders. Unfortunately, they do not run their governments. However, as opinion makers, they must keep on spreading the message that political salvation and economic progress go together. You cannot feed the nation unless you give it political freedom, in the real sense of the term.