World Bank Chief Sees Africa as Continent of Hope

[DoYouEverWonder]

Posted to the web June 25, 2005

Saying that Africa must be sold on the merits of its potential and not just on the basis of its needs, the World Bank's new president told an international group of business leaders meeting in the United States that reducing poverty and supporting economic development in Africa will be his top priority.

Paul Wolfowitz, speaking June 23 at the U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Baltimore, Maryland, said his recent week-long trip to Nigeria, Burkina Faso, South Africa and Rwanda had convinced him that despite heart-rending poverty, which must be addressed, Africa is a good bet for foreign investors.

"There is no question that there is an enormous, compelling moral urgency to the conditions of Africa and there is no question that there are needs," said Wolfowitz, who took office June 1. "But there is a lot more going on than just need," he said. "Africa may be on the verge of being a continent of hope."

Frank Fountain, DaimlerChrysler senior vice president and chair of the Corporate Council on Africa, which organized the summit, pointed out that Wolfowitz's first meeting outside the Bank was with a group of organizations working on African issues, that his first trip was to Africa and that his first public speech outside Washington was to the African business conference. He is giving substance, Fountain said, to his statement that African development will be his top priority as World Bank president.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200506250001.html


Africa on the verge of being a continent of hope? Yeah, right Wolfie and Iraq was going to be a cake walk that was going to pay for itself.

[waynew706]

1. Geez, wonder who...

is head of the World Bank now? Could it be Wolfiwizt?

[Monkie]

2. Sees Africa as Continent of Hope Saying that Africa must be sold

"World Bank Chief Sees Africa as Continent of Hope
Saying that Africa must be sold on the merits of its potential and not just on the basis of its needs"

I think i understand Wolfowitz's intentions by reading the title and first sentence of this article carefully

[LynnTheDem]

3. All that newly discovered OIL.

"al Qaeda in Africa!"

"We must liberate Africa!"

"Africa continent of hope!"

[Tinoire]

4. Precisely

Wolfie announced, before he even took over the reins of the World Bank, that Africa would be his *priority*.

Ah that compassion again...

[LynnTheDem]

6. So much compassion and total love

For oil.

[oblivious]

7. Blood still dripping from his hands.

[Jara sang]

5. A continent of hope for investors.

A living hell for everyone who has to live there and suffer through famine, civil war, sectarian violence, genocides and AIDS.