Your view on poverty in African countries

Last week, I actually talked to a guy from South Africa (so not exactly the region this problem is most apparent in, but still) whom I met at a conference. We talked mostly about stuff like warlords, AK-47's as common as clothes, blood diamonds, and I guess that if we had more time, we'd get to things like religion (interfering with medicine), medicine (interfering with culture), and others. And we didn't solve anything.

But if I managed all African resources, as you suggest, I guess something silly and idealistic could be devised... Melting all military resources into plows, tools, shelters, whatever. Making sure no toilet paper or substitutes is available for the warlords and their militias, and directing the region's most spicy food there. This could keep them occupied for a while. Promoting clever low-tech inventions (like this, this, or this), which can make some parts of life easier. At the same time, investing the human resources saved this way into things like food processing, housing, medicine or education. See where this leads, adjust, repeat.

must solve problems in own country first. then worry about the rest of the world.

Damn. I can't find my posts.