Africa: Progress & Problems - Governance and Leadership in Africa

Many of the problems in Africa today, including widespread poverty and civil unrest, can be traced to the continent's legacy of bad fovernance. In the post-independence period, authoritarian strongmen took control of many countries, enriching themselves and their cronies by exploiting the people's labor and their country's resources. In recent years, however, a growing number of African states have embraced democratic principles and established transparent and open governments.