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I think what has happened in India and other parts of Asia over the past 20 years is a perfect model for what should be the goals in much of Africa. With the proper training and international commitments to support the effort, Africa could easily become another source of expertise and low priced manufacturing. I don't mind that in relation to American manufacturing because it's gone and most likely never coming back. Africa would be at a strong advantage in this area since it has such a wealth of raw materials (I think the access to resources could actually keep production costs down WITHOUT exploiting it's people like Asia and S. America)
But, I honestly don't think anything will happen in Africa until the Western World does two things:
Forgive their debt to the IMF and World Bank
Release the resource wealth aquired through colonial conquest and still maintained by companies owned by the former colonizers back to their rightful owners (example: No way Debeers should still control diamond mines that they murdered and stole to aquire in the first place)
Until the West (primarily Europe) commits to stopping the exploitation of Africa and the selective destabilization of certain regions for personal gain, Africa will only get worse. I thought one of the most comical things during the warm up to the Iraq War was the idea that many of the European nations who claimed the US was being imperialist and invading for oil were/ are doing the EXACT same thing in Africa (that being said, I want to make it clear that I didn't support the war either, but bullshit is bullshit and white is white, no matter which side of the Atlantic).
Basically, unless Europe is put in check, any effort to help Africa is a waste of time.
Also, like it or not, the more troubled African nations need to develop a STRONG socialist system. The abuses a pure capitalist system would lead to would be catastrophic and forced distribution of wealth and resources could stifle the Charles Taylors of the world before they could even get started.
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