Economic Growth Fails to Reduce Poverty in Africa

I Citation: March 28, 2008
http://www.ssinformer.com/news/Africa/eastern/ethiopia/society/2008/march/ets_28_03_08_002.html

II Summary: A conference is being held in Ethiopia to discuss the economic and poverty obstacles going on in Africa. Although the economic growth rates were five percent for almost four years, most of the countries did not succeed generating “adequate” employment and the increased price of fuel are not helping. Dr. Mkwezalamba, a doctor from Ethiopia, said, “Almost half of the population continues to live in poverty and hunger.” He also said about how Africa is at the bottom of the health development indicators and the continent is still at great risk for HIV and AIDS. They need food and are trying to do so by expanding domestic production of basic goods, which may ensure rapid economic growth. It is said that this inflation of increased food and energy prices is a short time phenomenon and will go away when the government tries to increase people’s incomes. However, they cannot depend on agricultural production because it depends on the climate trends and the declining water tables are not helping. This is just one of the challenges in Ethiopia. To address these major economic and social issues, plans and economic developments are needed. To do so, they need to, “absorb the adverse impact of rising food and energy prices and exploit the opportunities that they present to the continent.”

III Reactions:
A) This article relates to the AP World theme Impact of technology, economy, and demography on people and their environment because this article is all about how the economy is affecting the people and increasing poverty. Also, the land and the practice of agriculture is not reliable and is then affecting production and development.
B) Africa has been the poorest continent for years and nothing has changed. They have always suffered from some economic problems and just like anywhere else, there was great poverty. However, the problem has not been fixed and the rates are increasing.
C) This article was written by an African man named Simegnish Yekoye who is obviously educated about the plans and procedures that are being done to help this issue. He is also very knowledgeable about the facts that doctors have supplied for us to evaluate. Plus, he doesn’t seem to be suffering from poverty and he seems to be a little upset with this issue and wants to help.
D) There does not seem to be any bias in this article, only the fact that the author wants to help this issue and wants to make a difference.
E) It would be helpful to hear from a person who is suffering from poverty because it would be interesting to hear their thoughts or feelings on these so called plans that are to be put into action. It would also give us an idea of the life and the challenges that the people who suffer from poverty have to deal with.
F) I think that poverty anywhere is a terrible thing that no human should have to go through, but especially here because it seems to be almost half of the population that suffer from poverty. I think that these plans need to be enforced immediately and more people need to help to make this plan possible.