There are two problems with “Change for Africa by Africans”. The first is that it is far too generalized a statement. Africa is over three times the size of the United States and comprised of over 50 countries. Moroccan-Africans arguably have less in common with Zulu Africans than Alaskans have with Floridians. The second problem is that it is too exclusionary. The existing ties between some African countries with non-African countries are too strong to be ignored.

Of course Africans can and should have a whole lot to say and do about addressing their own issues. But to either leave out others or to falsely depict some kind of unity of the continent is a bit absurd.

One problem, for example, across much of the continent is artificially created borders from colonialism. The problem this today is vastly different from one part of the continent to another. Some African countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo have a problem with national unity exacerbated by having more than 200 languages in one country. Somalia on the other hand not only has one single language, but that language and culture is shared by the country of Djibouti, part of Kenya, and part of Ethiopia. This causes the exact opposite problem of the Congo. Somalia has a sense of national unity that extends past its borders and even caused a war with Ethiopia over the Somali speaking Ogden region of Ethiopia.

I would concede that historically many non-African countries that have involved themselves in African affairs have at times done more harm than good. Cuba’s involvement in Angola and the United States involvement in Liberia have been dubious at best. On the other hand, the international communities united front against apartheid could serve as an example of Africans working with non-Africans for positive change.

It is fair to say that Africa does have some problems that are quite pervasive across most of the continent, such as artificial borders, HIV, and corrupt governments. But to try to limit change to being done by Africans denies reality. No where on the continent of Africa do you find a large enough medical infrastructure to deal with the aids virus or even the Ebola virus. Artificial borders lend themselves to outside the area dispute resolution as well.

One last point, the inevitable involvement by other countries makes this debate to some degree moot. Non-African countries are and will be involved in Africa. While non-African governments should be encouraging places to be as autonomous as possible, Africans shouldn’t be declining any help they can get.