Africa lags behind most of the world in practically all indicators
of human well-being, including longevity, infant mortality, HIV,
malaria and tuberculosis occurrence, nourishment, school enrolment,
long-term economic growth, and income per capita. The ability of
the United States to help Africa is limited because most of
Africa’s development problems are caused by domestic factors
requiring domestic solutions. Those problems are extensive and have
been aggravated by arbitrary and authoritarian rule, which has been
the norm for most of Africa’s independence. Centralized political
control has undermined political stability, the rule of law, the
security of individuals, the protection of private property, and
growth.
As long as its economic freedom remains low, Africa’s economic performance will continue to disappoint. Similarly, African countries are unlikely to escape poverty as long as their governments remain unaccountable and their actions arbitrary. Unfortunately, there is little the United States can do to positively influence the evolution of Africa’s governing institutions and the policies that African countries adopt.
