Africa’s poverty is artificial

“Africa’s poverty is artificial” -these are the sentiments of James Shikwati a columnist with Business Daily a daily business newspaper publishing out of Nairobi, Kenya. He had just recently participated in the launch of an initiative that is keen to popularize creative economy in Africa through the African Union in Accra, Ghana. He intimates that in Africa’s quest to become industrialized we have overlooked the fact that a lot of economic progress could be achieved through harnessing and developing our abundant artistic resources.

Shikwati cites the ‘Creative Economy Report 2008’ by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development which indicates that Africa Trade of Creative Products as a whole commands only 0.4 per cent of the world total of $424.4 billion. There is immense untapped wealth residing in the creative skills of the people of this continent but policy makers, leaders and parents haven’t yet began to truly perceive the enormous benefits that lie in harnessing them. The creative products and services industry drives ahead other important industries with it as it grows such as media, advertising and manufacturing and can be a significant source of foreign exchange.

We may be able to make our continent which is so creatively rich commensurately materially rich –a pleasant thought to ponder as we enter a new week, don’t you think?

http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7298&Itemid=5848