Africa Reimagined

Under chapter headings such as Sources of Africas cultural fragility, Thinking differently about African institutions, and Liberating human capital, Hlumelo Biko shows how, twenty years in, this century could yet become Africas century, as many believe and some hope. Africa Reimagined is a thoughtful analysis of Africa's past, present and future, a sobering assessment of where it stands today, and where it needs to go, at once unnervingly candid and inspiring. Imagine if in the year 2040, forty of Africas fifty-five nations have chosen to join together in a Pan-African government structure modelled on Swiss decentralised federalism. A merger between Ethiopian Airways, Air Mauritius, Air Kenya, Nigerian carrier Air Peace and South African Airways has transformed air travel. Africa is now home to the worlds largest mining company in the form of a rejuvenated Anglo American, the company having returned to its African home base powered by a massive investment from Africas new sovereign wealth fund. Africa rolls out the worlds largest solar plants in the Sahara and Kalahari deserts. These projects are underwritten by a new insurance network based in Mauritius and modelled on Lloyds of London. Rural employment has risen thanks to a focus on subsistence farmers, who have a shared service model that allows them world-class access to price-sensitive information, equipment financing, reasonably priced input costs and training techniques. A pipedream? Hlumelo Biko says no.