AFRO-NETS> AFRICA: Journal Urges New Approach To Continent's Problems

[Dieter Neuvians MD <neuvians@harare.iafrica.com>]

AFRICA: Journal Urges New Approach To Continent's Problems
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Source: UN Wire http://www.unfoundation.org

Africa's public health, peacekeeping and development problems could 
be solved through building effective cooperation between Africans and 
international institutions, according to an editorial in the British 
medical journal THE LANCET.

In its discussion, the editorial notes that Gro Harlem Brundtland, 
the director-general of the World Health Organization, and economist 
and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen argue that health should be "at the 
core of any political action." Bruntland sees "health as a means by 
itself to eradicate poverty and to bring economic, and hence politi-
cal, stability to the continent." 

Another approach, the editorial says, would "rely on existing inter-
national political and financial institutions, such as the UN and 
World Bank" to help Africa, though many observers, including UN offi-
cials, doubt "that these outdated bureaucracies will solve Africa's 
problems." 

Still others offer the view "that only Africans can save Africa. But 
THE LANCET argues that Africa's future "depend[s] neither on a purely 
indigenous African nor an international agency solution." Instead, 
the current generation of children "is likely to prosper through 
partnerships between individuals and institutions across continents. 
Some partnerships already exist (e.g., Action Aid). If western gov-
ernments were to do more to help these collaborations flourish, while 
foregoing easy income from weapons sales and 'odious' debts, and if a 
pan Africanism - the notion that African countries share common prob-
lems and solutions - were to be fostered, the future for [Africa's 
children] would be brighter than it presently is" (The Lancet, 20 
Feb., 1999).

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