The growth is based on a demographic transformation--strong population growth skewed toward the energetic youth and rapid urbanization. According to French, "the continent is urbanizing at rates unsurpassed in human history."
French believes that this unprecedented growth requires America to rethink its African foreign policy. "The United States has a big potential role to play in helping African nations think through issues of urban creation, renewal and planning, as well as the development of better systems of sanitation, power, transportation and housing."
The author, Howard W. French, is an associate professor at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University and wrote the article on the eve of president's Obama's visit to three Africa democratic nations.
This might be an terrific story for students to read as they study the post-cold war period in world history. Thanks to Nicholas Kristof for tweeting the story.
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