It is often said that Africa is a lost continent from which little other than oil and diamonds should be expected. In particular, commentators are prompt to point to Africa’s enduring political and economic failures. But rarely do these commentators take the time to understand and explain the shortfalls they denounce.

Europe and Africa began their integration processes just around the same time –the former in 1951 and 1957, the latter in 1963. Both had similar goals for their people: prosperity, peace, and socio-political rights.

Yet, half a century later, one can only note that while a vast majority of Europeans seem to be quite well-off an all counts, that is far from being the case for most Africans –to the point that such a discrepancy has almost become normal to most observers.

It is not, however, and neither should it be.

So, why is it that Africa has failed to achieve the harmonious integration process that Europe managed to build throughout the second half of the twentieth century?

The Dogged Legacy of Imperialism

One explanation might be that while economic regionalism has enhanced the European Community’s economic weight on the world stage, Africa has been deprived from such leverage. Indeed, not only has Africa been plagued with post-colonial and neo-colonial burdens, but it has also failed to unify its economic bodies on a continental scale –to the point that the continent now hosts not one, but thirteen economic unions.

In addition, despite receiving vast sums of aid over the years, African countries have never benefited from a co-ordinated initiative such as the Marshall Plan and its managing bodies, the way certain Western European states did. Much to the contrary, Africa has been a prime guinea-pig for ever-changing aid policies.

Another stark illustration of Africa’s integration failure is found in the continent’s nearly-continuous outbreaks of violence, which stand in sharp contrast to the European Union’s (EU) “security community” where war has not only disappeared but has even become unthinkable.