Is Africa rising or failing?

African leaders, business executives and civil society experts discuss the continent’s economic future in Cape Town.

 The World Economic Forum on Africa is taking place in Cape Town, South Africa.

African leaders, economists, business executives and civil society experts are meeting to discuss how to build a better and more economically sustainable continent.

African presidents from Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya etc are here. Global players like Kofi Annan are also here.

Roaming the corridors you can see people from all over the world too: Russia, China, Europe and Asia – people looking to establish trade deals andd invest on a continent that economists say is on the rise.

I don’t know if anything concrete will come out of the three-day gathering. It could be the usual talk about talks scenario.

A few private individuals and companies could strike lucrative deals but will it trickle down to the millions of poor people across the continent.

On social media most people I asked about the issue were discouraged. They believe nothing tangible will come out of the gathering.

A few are hopeful, but the sentiment seems to be: “Let’s pack our bags and leave Africa.”

Maybe I am an optimist or naïve, but I don’t think Africa is a hopeless basket case.

Yes there are huge problems and challenges … but it can’t all be doom and gloom can it?