My passion for Africa continues to grow and my optimism knows no bounds. I painted a vivid picture in my last article and would like to add more color – some very bright shades. Let there be no doubt, Africa is the world’s fastest growing continent and like any roller coaster, those willing to take the ride on the fast growing Africa story can expect a few bumps. I would ask for seat belts to be fastened, as it promises to be exciting and heady.

There is no single script to the Africa story. After all, there are 55 countries in the continent, some with a head start and others despite a slow start, surely coming out of the blocks. Indeed, there are few laggards, but the frenetic pace in their midst is goading them out of slumber. Democracies are increasingly becoming the norm, some more vibrant and buzzing while several others at least recognizing democratic institutions and elections. That said, although some authoritarian regimes still stubbornly exist, the number of violent wars and coups has now significantly shrunk. The clutter of gunshots has been replaced by market dynamics sounding the clarion call for economic growth which has paved the way to what may be called the Africa Rising. There is a general awakening and rainbows everywhere in the horizon.

Let’s step back and take a closer look at the state of play. Nothing would matter in this remarkable story if the lives of the people were not showing marked improvement. GDP is rising at a fast clip with an average of around 6%, foreign direct investment flows continue to grow,life expectancy, infant mortality, educational attainment and health indicators have all improved. Hunger and famine are now rare. Infrastructure development is evident and urbanisation growth is also creating demand. Technology is playing its part in speeding up growth in more ways than one, including the penetration of mobile phones which are ringing in more hands each day, and television sets are no longer a novelty but clamouring for space in around 25% of households. The median age in the continent is around 20 and there is a favorable demographic dividend. All this augurs well for the years ahead and a good feel factor is increasingly visible and writ across faces in Africa.

The African picture will only grow brighter and the hues more colorful. The doubting Thomases will have to set aside their concerns. There is still much to be done before poverty and hunger are no longer of any concern, agricultural production is optimized, industrial manufacturing is in line with the GDP growth, commodity and mining resources are fully tapped, infrastructure building robust and red tape and regulatory hindrances are removed. This is what makes the story more interesting, as each day improves the progress card. A new dawn beckons and my mantra will be to ride the tide and seek these opportunities. Mauritius is well-positioned to play an active role in the African development and the need of the hour is to ensure proactive facilitation across the continent.