Friday, November 14, 2003
‘The best thing the West has done for Africa since independence’: This is, from Hub Blog’s perspective, the most exciting and encouraging story I’ve read in a long time. The U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act is starting to crank out thousands of private-sector jobs in Africa, prompting one African president to say (as paraphrased by the NYT) that it’s the “best thing the West has done for Africa since independence.” ...
The pride the Africans feel is palpable. This is BIG if it gains momentum. And it will, assuming Congress extends AGOA and the WTO doesn't foul things up. .... "Made in Uganda." We’ll probably be hearing much, much more of this in coming years and decades. ... The story is also important because, ironically, it’s a form of outsourcing from Asia, not to Asia. That will cause it’s own economic and political problems in those countries. But the important thing is: Africa’s potential for private development is now in the historic early stages of finally taking off. ...
... Of course, America won’t get credit for it in some quarters, but who cares what NGOs and anti-globo types think? They'll obviously use the 'sweat shop' argument as way to undermine it, and labor hardshihp and strife are inevitable. But once enough Africans get a taste of private-sector prosperity, there's no turning back. ...
The pride the Africans feel is palpable. This is BIG if it gains momentum. And it will, assuming Congress extends AGOA and the WTO doesn't foul things up. .... "Made in Uganda." We’ll probably be hearing much, much more of this in coming years and decades. ... The story is also important because, ironically, it’s a form of outsourcing from Asia, not to Asia. That will cause it’s own economic and political problems in those countries. But the important thing is: Africa’s potential for private development is now in the historic early stages of finally taking off. ...
... Of course, America won’t get credit for it in some quarters, but who cares what NGOs and anti-globo types think? They'll obviously use the 'sweat shop' argument as way to undermine it, and labor hardshihp and strife are inevitable. But once enough Africans get a taste of private-sector prosperity, there's no turning back. ...
