Despite the heady growth on the continent, the author notes that half of African states are in economic distress, going on the International Monetary Fund’s lists for those countries judged to be struggling with public debt.
Added to this, the cost of replacing infrastructure on the continent has doubled every five years.Africa is also vulnerable to health, famine and disease, which cost the continent about $12bn every year and despite cheaper products entering Africa, which has helped many enjoy some of the luxuries of life that were once unaffordable, Clarke questions whether this has really brought Africa into economic modernity.
The final message one can distil from author’s work is that the road to economic growth is a long, hard one.