Africa in debt or in debt to Africa two faces of a coin

The history of Africa has long been the target of pseudo-scholarly denigration. The world was made to believe that Africans had no past, did not develop their own advanced civilisations, did not contribute to human progress and that their recorded history only began with the coming of Europeans. This misinformation can be traced back to the writings of missionaries and early explorers, the slave trade and colonialism. Even during modern times, the continent has rarely been portrayed in an objective manner and the positive facets of life are usually ignored. The West however, cannot afford to neglect Africa as it is a fast growing market, rich in solar energy and natural resources and because competitors will not just stand aside. The author investigates how the negative image of the continent may be altered by stakeholders—the media, governments and civil society groups. It also looks at G-8 nations, which could call for a Marshall Plan, as was done for Europe after 1945. She concludes by raising hopes that the African Diaspora will help in an “African Renaissance” by remitting funds and/or returning and rebuilding the continent.