This is the most Africa story I’ve ever read.
“Eighteen years later, vast amounts of money have been spent, yet most of the planned Wall remains no more green than Abdi Guelleh’s barren field.”
I wonder if anyone has ever noticed that when you bring in tons of food to feed an African village the next year there are twice as many Africans and less food because the free food has made it impossible for farmers to make any money growing food?
““Eighteen years later, vast amounts of money have been spent, yet most of the planned Wall remains no more green than Abdi Guelleh’s barren field.””
typical African “project” ...
btw, i read where the “wall” will pass right through the middle of Wakanda ...
While the project was a pipe dream and failure, it would be a pretty safe guess that many “connected” officials made a pile of money for themselves and cared little beyond that.
In a short period of time (meaning short by geologic time scales!) the Quatenary will cycle back to where a green Sahara is normal. Nothing you can do make it happen faster in any significant way.
Meanwhile the GreenieBeanies and the perpetually morally outraged will waste billions of private and taxpayer dollars to change natural course of events.
A friend had mining operations in several African countries. Before he closed them, he gave the locals in each village everything they needed to grow their own food and be self sufficient.
Large bins of seeds, tractors, hand tools, everything, plus instruction on how to use it all. The soil and climate was excellent for farming.
A year later he went back to check. They were eating the seeds, the tools and equipment were never touched. He was astonished and asked why.
He was told, why bother? When we run out of food some NGO will come along with food.
Have you ever read the book "Adventure Capitalist" by Jim Rogers? He also wrote "Investment Biker".
He told of his first trip being able to have a suit made by a local tailor by the road in Africa from locally sourced and woven materials. That was on his first trip. This no longer existed on his second trip.
The "do gooders" from the USA had totally destroyed local economies.
The farmers who grew the cotton and flax, broke and destitute. The weavers, same. Ditto the tailors. The Law of Unintended consequences strikes again.