Africa Today
Newspaper and television reports around the world show Africa as a continent with
many problems. They focus on the wars, the starving children, the terrible diseases, and
the natural disasters. Other, more positive aspects of life in Africa are rarely shown.
There are, indeed, serious problems in many parts of Africa. The biggest problem facing
Africans today is the continuing threat of wars. These wars are in part due to historic
competition among tribes. However, in the past, the fighting was local and small scale. In
recent years, it has become far more violent and destructive. This is partly because of the
destructive power of modern weapons. It is also because the situation has changed
dramatically.