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The world's wealthiest nations are calling 2005 the "Year of Africa." They're turning their attention, collectively and individually, to doing something about a continent they proclaim to be mired in poverty, H.I.V./AIDS, war and bad governance. Heads of state, business leaders, rock stars, philanthropists -- everybody, it seems, has an Africa plan.
Yes, there's a whole lot of buzz about that continent. Bzzzzzzz!
On the eve of the July 6-8 meeting in Scotland of the seven highly industrialized nations and Russia, the so-called G-8 nations, about 700 leaders, mostly from business, got together in Cape Town, South Africa, for three days of "frank and informal dialogue" about the major development challenges facing Africa. It was the 15th annual Africa Economic Summit, an initiative launched by the World Economic Forum to engage business as a catalyst for change on the continent. This is where the CEOs of the biggest and richest corporations operating in Africa lock horns with African heads of state and government ministers about how best business should execute its role as the "driver of Africa's regeneration," according to the summit.
The A.E.S. is not a place of action. Rather, it is another high-level talk fest whose words could lead to meaningful change if they are taken...