The Arabs and Africa: A Topic for Discussion

The current rift in Arab-African relations can be traced to a historical residue of opposition and colonialism, which must be understood in order to be mended. Egyptian Author Mustafa el-Fikky Al-Hayat offers 10 points for understanding the Arab-Africa relationship. From myths concerning the Arab role as African slave traders during the colonial era to the split of the Organization of African Unity in response to Arab presence on African soil to the liberation of Egypt's Sinai, all contribute to diminished Arab involvement in Africa. Egypt and Algeria both provide examples of how an amiable relationship between the Arab world and the African continent can bring cash flow to Arab markets while investing funds in ameliorating Africa's diverse problems - including the crisis in Darfur, the poverty of non-Arab southern Sudan and continent desertification. As the 1950s and 1960s demonstrated, many Arab leaders provided support for African national liberation movements and this improved relations between the two regions. The Arab world must invest in Africa, for the sake of its own markets, as well as for the betterment of a continent that often finds itself in economic and political peril. – YaleGlobal