Lumping nations of Africa and Asia together into something called ‘developing countries’ is a political gimmick. Africa which used to be ahead of India in economic reforms has nevertheless fared much better. Most Indian reforms occurred well before the spurt in GDP growth from 6% to 9%. Economic success depends not just on economic reform but on institutional strength and historical skills
India has been actively promoting trade with Africa in recent years. To boost the country’s trade with the Sub-Saharan African region, the Government of India launched the “Focus: Africa” programme under the EXIM Policy 2002-07. Target countries identified during the first phase of the programme include Mauritius, Kenya and Ethiopia. The Government of India provides financial assistance to various trade promotion organizations, export promotion councils and apex chambers in the form of Market Development Assistance under the “Focus: Africa” programme.
Although the decline of India and China in the last 300 years was a temporary blip. Africa and Latin America will find it difficult to replicate the growth spurt in China and India because of very different initial conditions.
Africans emerging from slash-and-burn cultivators lack such skills: their economy had no markets or mercantile skills. Indians are not inherently superior in any way.
Facts about Africa[/b]
The whole of Africa is not historically disadvantaged. Ancient agricultural countries like Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria are fully on par with India in growth potential, and in fact, are much richer than India today. But sub-Saharan Africa is disadvantaged compared to both India and Egypt.
Progress in Indian tribal belts has been as difficult as in Africa. It is said that if a village committee in a tribal area has 11 tribals and one non-tribal, the non-tribal will dominate all decision-making: he alone will have the skills and resources.
It will take a couple of generations of good education and skill-building to close the gap. Many African countries are ahead of India in literacy. But they lag behind in institutional strength: many have been ruled and ruined by thugs.