“Africa’s year?”

Genocides (two in ten years), wars and insurgencies have distressed Africa since the days of hope for independence. Today, the Jihad combatants multiply in that continent. They are in two oil-producing countries (Nigeria and Algeria). Out of 400 foreign combatants captured in Iraq, 35% came from Africa.
Economically paralysed, many African countries lose grounds. This led Tony Blair to turn Africa into the focus of the British chairmanship of the G-8. Twenty-eight million Africans have died as a result of AIDS and the diseases linked to poverty take the lives of 500 African children per hour. At the beginning of the millennium, the UN promised to reduce poverty 50% in 2015 but the experts feel that it will take more time. Paul Wolfowitz also turned Africa into the focus of his five-years term as president of the World Bank. Blair wants the rich countries to double their assistance to the African countries and cancel Sub-Saharan Africa’s debt. However, it is difficult that the United States implements this option since it has a huge deficit and it is highly indebted due to the war in Iraq. That is why, George W. Bush promised 674 billion dollars but they were funds already allocated by the Congress to assist Ethiopia and Eritrea.
At the same time, Ethiopia is mobilizing troops to assist Darfur but the forces of the African Union cannot move due to an absurd conflict between the European Union and NATO to determine which of the two will transport the troops. Besides, the deployed forces by the African Union are insignificant compared to the size of the territory. South Africa cannot deploy many troops since 40% of its army is HIV-positive. In the interim, there is no coordination in the efforts of the European Union and NATO.
The United States does not seem to be worried about these facts and George W. Bush repeats that there are no links between terrorism and poverty. However, NATO commander-in-chief, General James Jones, frequently visits Africa to create troops to ensure the security of the continent. In order for this measure to be effective, the budget has to be increased 100 million dollars. This is the cost of an hour of occupation in Iraq.