'New wars are not breaking out in Africa, we are open for business'

African analyst O.B. Sisay talked vividly about the west’s perception of Africa.

He asked the audience what they pictured when they thought of Sierra Leone and the three main answers were blood, diamonds and war. He then pointed out that the war and troubles in the country ended a decade ago.

The thrust of his speech was about what he called the west’s  “effortless condescension towards Africa”. He stressed that if it continued there would be serious implications in terms of who controls the global game of geo-politics in the future. “It is criminal complacency when you look it from the perspective of geo- political stability and security going forward,” he said.

He says while we have been obsessing over politics, security and terrorism, China has “very, very quietly” been staking a claim on Africa’s natural resources. He said that China, over the last few years, has given more loans to African countries than the International Monetary Fund and that 35 per cent of China’s oil comes from Africa. The US estimates that over the next 10 to 15 years, a quarter of its energy needs will be met by one region on the west coast of Africa.

“New wars are not breaking out in Africa,” he said. “We have Somalia and a couple of wars but they are long standing. The difference from the ‘90s is stupendous. Elections are still flawed — we are still dodgy — but we have accepted the principal of having elections.

“Sierra Leone finished blood and gold — we had a government in power, we had elections, we kicked that government out without even a squeak. The west has taken its eye off the ball.

“Africa has changed but the face of Africa remains the same. Ladies and gentlemen, take a second look at Africa.”

TEDxBermuda 2011

• 'If the ocean's species die then we all die'
• Discovering the secrets of our tiger sharks
• A mural of epic proportions
• 'New wars are not breaking out in Africa, we are open for business'
• Spoken word artist Paynter receives a double standing ovation
• Music from around the world
• How did humans get so smart?
• Tales from within Guantanamo
• Taking from a society of waste and giving to a society of want
• Can our oceans heal themselves?
• Cleaning up corrupt professional cycling