‘Rich’ Africa has some of the poorest on earth’

From ALEX NJOVU and CHRISTINE CHISHA in Windhoek
SOUTHERN Africa Resources Watch director Claude Kabemba has observed that Africa has some of the poorest people in the world despite the continent being blessed with some of the best minerals on earth.
And Dr Kabemba said African governments should concentrate on creating secondary industries to create jobs for young people.
Dr Kabemba said it is sad that the outside world has continued to benefit from the natural resources found in Africa.
“Africa has abundant natural resources, 98 percent of world reserves of platinum are found in Africa, 95 percent of manganese and 52 percent of diamond are also found in Africa and yet our people are not benefiting from the natural resources.
“The continent itself is among the poorest regions in the world despite having some of the best minerals and natural resources in the world,” he said.
Dr Kabemba was speaking here yesterday when he addressed 26 journalists from the Southern African Development Community who are attending the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa at Polytechnic of Namibia.
He said corruption is also to blame for the continued extraction of minerals by the outside world.
Dr Kabemba said African governments usually sign dubious contracts with some multinational companies over the minerals found on the continent.
“Internal fighting and corruption among our leaders remain some of the reasons why people at grassroot level do not benefit from the minerals in Africa. The agreements which our leaders sign with multinational companies are corrupt and there are dubious activities involved,” he said.
Dr Kabemba said there is need for Africa to wake up and start benefiting from its resources.
He said it is unfortunate that African leaders do not consult people at grassroots level when they sign agreements with the multinational companies.
He commended Zambia’s founding President Kenneth Kaunda for the role he played in ensuring that Africa starts controlling its mineral resources.
Dr Kabemba said it is worrying that some people in Africa do not have access to clean water.
“About 95 percent of Africans do not have access to safe drinking water and electricity, yet we are sitting on abundant minerals and our people are poor. We need to effectively invest in data and knowledge so that we can know how much minerals we have,” he said.
“We need to ensure that there is value addition to our minerals and create industries which will offer jobs to our people instead of waiting for the mines to do that.
“Agriculture is one sector which is competitive and has the potential of addressing various problems facing the people. This is why the media have the role to play in all this and expose corruption in the mines so that people can benefit from the mines,” he said.
He also said the coming of Chinese investment in Africa has helped to boost development of the continent by putting up infrastructure in various sectors of the economy.
“China might have its own agenda and interest in Africa but we are able to see the massive infrastructure it has put up in Africa. Africa has benefited a lot from its relations with China,” Dr Kabemba said.