The ongoing globalization processes
has been increasingly connecting our world during the last years. Over time we
can see how the very different dimensions of globalization have reach every
part of the world, the economic conexions that not always appear as relations
between equal trade partners, the cultural globalization that exports
narratives and imaginarios born in the very essence of western capitalist
consumer society, or the increasing migrant fluxes between continents. Anyway
what it is clear is that globalization is a reality that is defining the course
of our time, and changing the way to understand communication, and distance,
therefore under this light it is very interesting to rethink the role that
Africa will play in this changing world system and the place that will occupy
in the complex international society that is being built.
Which
is the role of Africa in the world?, traditionally Africa has been exporter of
raw materials, and importer of manufactured goods, that means that his economy has
always been strongly dependance from foreign trade. As a consequence of this,
his relation with foreign powers(colonial and neo colonial) have always been
unequal, and defined by a winner/loser dichotomy within the world system. The
structural change that African economy needs to superate this condition and
built strong and stable economies beyond natural resources dependency, is not
really on the agenda of this great powers. Also it is remarkable in order to
understand how are defined the ties of this dependence the role of economic
organizations as World Bank, and International Monetary Fund that have
conditioned his developing and help programs to the so called structural
adjustment programs. This programs based in the liberal mantra that free trade
is always source of economic growth have forced some african countries to cut
public spending, reduce trade tariffs and arancels, privatize states companies,
or increase exports among others, with the hope of long term economic growth,
but at the expense of high social damage in the short time.[1]
Until
2014, in fact it seemed that African economy was getting into a hugh rising
that could finally mean some important transition for the continent. That year
sub-saharan Africa's GDP was 1775 trillion, after 12 years of almost not
interrupted rising (in 2002 was 367.108 billion), however the next two years
the economic growing decrease considerably again.[2] The
problem is precisely the dependant character of his economy that is subdue to
the evolution of the capitalist world economy.Besides that, it is expected from
many African countries to growth in the future, but anyways it is very clear
that if this countries doesn,t find the way to build an economic system beyond
the structure of dependence they will never achieve the sustained and stable
growth that is needed for the human development of the continent.
The geopolitical role of Africa in
the world is a matter that should not be forgotten also, it is true that right
now African countries doesn´t occupy a significative position in the decision
making of world geopolitics but the dynamic will be to progressively increase
this importance, while western hegemony will increasingly decrease. Many
experts have already pointed that in the close future United States role as
world hegemon will be disputed by china(close african ally), European powers,
and EU, (great african trade partner) in the meantime will suffer the
increasing aging of his populations that would surely reduce his economic
capability, and so his geopolitical power. In this context is also expected
that the so called BRICS countries rise in economic and political
importance,and define the geo political map of the future, and south Africa is
one of this countries, and has already playing this hegemonical role within the
frontiers of the continent . African countries still have a long way to walk
but if they find the way to sustain a stable economic growth in the future they
may considerably rise his importance in the world decision making in the
future.
When
talking of the place that Africa plays in the world we can not avoid to talk
about culture, globalization and the changes that our world have been
experiencing on respect of cultural global fluxes and the imaginarios that
contain.Which are the imaginarios that western world receive from africa? how
is constructed the perception of the continent? This questions are very
important on the time to reflect about the role that Africa play in the world
nowadays. For western civil society it is very easy to be pessimistic about
africa when most of the news they receive from the continent are related to
terrorism violence and conflict, however it is very important to deconstruct
this image and show a perspective of Africa with the whole complexity of the
continent, with his shadows but also his lights.[3]There
is also a paternalistic vision reinforced by the calls for help that NGOs
promote through his fundraising campaigns, that
strongly damage the perception of the continent promoting the idea that his
salvation is in ``our´´ hands. The labour of NGOs is for sure laudable, but it
will never face the structural problems of dependency, underdevelopment or
violence, and they just can reduce the damage and suffering of the people. Many
development anthropologist have already face this issue pointing that
development is important but also is to understand how we construct the idea of
development throughout the meaning of underdevelopment, and the ``other,´´how
development must fist deconstruct the whole narrative where is based, to
understand that our labour in Africa is not to convince them to follow our idea
of ``progress´´, but to help the continent to find his own one.[4]
The difference may be the one between charity and solidarity that is very well
explained in the words of Eduardo Galeano, who sustained that we need
solidarity rather than charity, because the first is horizontal and ejected
between equals while the second is vertical degrading and never change the
structure of power.
In summary it is important to work in
the redefinition of African image in the globalized world, go beyond the
stereotypes and enlight the richness of african culture, and tradition engaging
them with a process of economic and human development.[5] It
is also important to rise explanatory discourses about the historical
responsibility of western powers that through neocolonialism have reinforced
the structure of underdevelopment, all in order to rise fairer narratives about
the continent. Otherwise it will be very difficult to get a real involving of
western powers, and organizations in the implementation of the transformations
that the continent need, beginning by the
end of economic dependence, and unequal trade connexions.
[1] Ismi,
Asad. Impoverishing a Continent: The
World Bank and the IMF in Africa. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
July 2004.
Escobar,
Arturo. Anthropology and development.International
social science journal.1997
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