Africa: better off without us?

Many Africans are disgusted with their corrupt governments, and with the West's well-meaning efforts to help. As many sceptics predicted, progress towards implementing the decisions taken at last year's much-hyped G8 summit has been slow. Africa has made significant strides over the past year, but none of them was a consequence of Gleneagles. Nigeria has finally reversed decades of economic mismanagement to be given a formal credit rating by international bond agencies for the first time. Economic growth has been rising, giving African governments breathing space, after decades of being choked between burgeoning populations and falling markets. And some of Africa's "big men" have finally got their come-uppance - or at least an inkling of their limitations. But it is too early to be upbeat about Africa. Like slowing the spread of HIV/AIDS, progress in opening up the political debate has hardly begun. Angola provides one of the most glaring examples of countries where abundant commodities such as oil have combined with corruption and bad governance. (Quotes from original text)