There is a decent article in the NYtimes looking a the impact of the financial crisis on African foreign direct investment.
Continent wide figures for foreign direct investment so far this year are not available. But in the sub-Saharan African countries, the International Monetary Fund estimates, foreign direct investment will drop roughly 18 percent in 2009 from about $30 billion in 2008.It's nice to see the mainstream media focus on something other than the impact of the crisis on aid - FDI is a much more important player in development in general. This quote says it all:
“Instead of talking to Usaid, I’d rather be talking to a company like Nike,” Mr. Barnes said. “Having a partner like that means jobs and economic growth, and you just don’t get that from aid.”Not sure I like the title of the piece though: "Just when Africa's Luck Was Changing" suggests that Africa's future is driven by luck (or by the outside world). It's not.