The new scramble for Africa’s resources: implications for its development

Abstract

The scramble for the natural resources of one of the richest continent of the world – Africa – is an ongoing phenomenon, however, the intensity and the protagonists of the scramble have increased multifold. Initially the scramblers were essentially after only the agricultural and mineral resources of the continent, however, in the present era, they are also after the human resources and the soul – land – of the continent. The scramblers are not only Europeans or American nations, but the Asians and others have also joined the scramblers’ club. The main aim of this paper is to explain the new forms and dimensions of the scramble and its impact. The paper concludes that the new scramble for Africa’s resources will not end so soon, because the need for major natural resources like crude oil, uranium and brains (learned Africans) is increasing geometrically, as the developed nations improve their conditions of living and enhances their use of science and technology. Therefore, two of the main feasible solutions for the Africans now are, inward-oriented, legally backed and continent-wide internal trading among themselves and other forms of systematic protectionism of their material and human resources.