The Next Africa: An Emerging Continent Becomes a Global Powerhouse

The future of Africa is a daunting subject handled with acumen by Bright and Hruby. Both authors work in consulting with a primary focus on African finance. They begin by addressing the issues that arise when writing about the subject, among them: the risk of treating a large and diverse continent as a monolithic entity, the pitfalls of writing about it as non-Africans, and the need to avoid leaning too heavily toward either optimism or pessimism. An entire section is devoted to the obstacles presented by debt, unemployment, corruption, war, and the lingering effects of colonialism. According to the authors, what Africa needs is investment. They argue that Africa%E2%80%94particularly sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)%E2%80%94is on the rise and deserves the same opportunities given by the international community to other regions with similarly troubled histories. Bright and Hruby examine the variety of companies, including GE, looking to do business in Africa, and examine several SSA countries in depth. Most intriguingly, the authors probe the current role for technological innovations like mobile money. They never examine their role as non-Africans in any depth, but do maintain a heavy focus on African perspectives and dispel some common misconceptions. This is a welcome and extensive addition to the dialogue about an oft-undervalued continent. (July)