AFRICA is a continent blessed with young, creative and dynamic people,
with a wealth of natural resources, rich landscapes and wildlife. But it is a
continent bearing more than its fair share of sufferings, social, economical,
political and environmental.

The dismal growth performance of Africa is the worst economic tragedy
of the 20th. century. The newly freed citizens had high hopes when their
countries became independent during the second half of the last century,
but most of them are substantially poorer now than they were when their
nations were born.