Out Of Africa

NRO: What The Western World Doesn’t Understand About The Continent

(National Review Online) 
This is the party of Saint Nelson Mandela, who continues to bounce around the continent hand in hand with his tyrannical buddies like Muammar Khadaffi, and who has yet to denounce the murderous policies of Robert Mugabe in the once-flourishing Zimbabwe (by the way, if you go to Victoria Falls, as you should, stay on the Zambian side. Zambia is no bargain, but it's a great deal better than the other side). The Zimbabwe fiasco has exposed another major element of African corruption. Since almost all the leaders consider themselves president-for-life, they support one another, afraid that democratic change in some other place might threaten their own rule. In South Africa, Thabo Mbeke, the current president, is theoretically term limited (one of Mandela's finest moments), but since the ANC can do anything it wants, some of my South African friends believe that Mbeke may change the rules and stay on.

Here and there you can find some brighter niches, and we visited two of them: Mozambique and Botswana. Two beautiful countries, both have done quite well in recent years, thanks to good leadership. But Chissano in Mozambique has retired, and his successors seem tempted by the same sort of sin that is corrupting South Africa. It is hard to imagine Mozambique withstanding a wave of state control next door.

Botswana is not only one of the most gorgeous spots on earth, but a remarkably good government as well. When we crossed the Zambezi river from Zambia, you could see the difference in a matter of minutes. On the Zambian side passport control was very slow, probably because the office was overstaffed and everyone had to play some role. Once through that minor nuisance, you have to wash your shoes before entering Botwsana, because there has been foot-and-mouth disease in Zambia and the Botswanans don't want it. Passport control is efficient, the office is well organized, and you're on your way. It's only fair that, in high season, the small airport at Maun is the second busiest in all of sub Saharan Africa (Johannesburg is number one).

The best hope for Africa is tough love. Cut off the aid. Above all, give nothing to governments. If you want to treat disease -- and we must -- then do it through private organizations and hold them accountable both financially and operationally. If you want real development, then invest in those countries that are well managed and honestly administered. That would give the Africans a chance, and there are millions of talented Africans who would take it.

It won't happen, of course. Capitalism doesn't get rock concerts.


Michael Ledeen is an NRO contributing editor.