Unipolar or Multi-Polar World: Which Way for Africa?

Published on 27th July 2022

The socio-economic crisis occasioned by the Russia-Ukraine war place Africa in a dilemma of whether to embrace a unipolar or multipolar world.  to ensure "shock absorbers" when disasters strike.

When a volcano erupted in Iceland in 2010, the airline industry in Europe lost an estimated $ 200 million per day in revenue with over 63,000 flights cancelled. Kenya’s flowers and vegetables for export started going to waste, denying the country much needed foreign revenue.

It must difficult to fathom for many that happenings thousands of miles away can disrupt socio-economic activities in another place. Embracing a multipolar world  will  ensure competition and "shock absorbers" when disasters strike.

Africa’s industry planners have to factor in production and diversification of target markets. This time it is the Russia-Ukraine war. In 2010, it was a volcano. Next time it will be a "volcanic" policy from the European Union, USA, China, Russia or whatever government controls target markets. Africa should encourage futuristic thinking to envisage such disruptions and adequately lay mechanisms to counteract them.


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