Emerging Africa: How 17 Countries are Leading the Way

by Steven Radelet

Emerging Africa describes the too-often-overlooked positive changes that have taken place in much of Africa since the mid-1990s. In 17 countries, five fundamental and sustained breakthroughs are making old assumptions increasingly

• The rise of democracy brought on by the end of the Cold War and apartheid

• Stronger economic management

• The end of the debt crisis and a more constructive relationship with the international community

• The introduction of new technologies, especially mobile phones and the Internet

• The emergence of a new generation of leaders.

With these significant changes, the countries of emerging Africa seem poised to lead the continent out of the conflict, stagnation, and dictatorships of the past. The countries discussed in the book are Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lesotho, Mali Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Principe, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

Genres: Africa, Nonfiction, Business, Current Affairs

187 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2010

Reviews

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This thought provoking book challenges the popular image of Africa as a basket-case. The author argues that several Sub-Saharan African countries have seen continous growth since the 1990s thanks to democratisation and the growth of information technology. A criticism of the book is that it massively overstates its case. Although many African countries are growing quickly they are still very poor compared to the rest of the world. This situation is unlikely to change decisively until there is massive infrastructure development on the continent. IT and entreprenuers might help level the field but they are not enough on their own. Nonetheless Emerging Africa is a welcome antidote to the common tendency to infantilise the people of this continent.

[Paul Andrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a natural addition to all the other books I have read about Africa. Very contemporary, it goes in some detail how 17 African nations are emerging from poverty. Radelet gives five basic reasons for their success. It is an uplifting story.

[Joseph Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of the saddest stories I've ever heard are what the world has done to Africa & what Africans have done to Africa. This book is happy & hopeful & it's got the data to back it up.