This paper argues that from the trans- Atlantic slave trade of the 15th-19th centuries to the diseases, epidemics and wars of present time, the West has consciously, consistently and systematically pursued policies designed to control, reduce and eliminate altogether Africa's population for the avowed purpose of gaining exclusive access to the continent's best agricultural land to serve its commodity requirements, as well as to its vast mineral resources, particularly those deemed 'strategic', (i.e. indispensable to the advanced technology industries of the West, such as electronics, aeronautics and space). As unbelievable and far-fetched as it might sound, this argument is supported by incontrovertible historical and factual evidence. It leads to the inescapable conclusion that for Africa to be able to embark on a path to self-sustained and autonomous development, such harmful population control policies should be actively and effectively countered, and should ultimately be abandoned in favor of population promotion policies within a new continent-wide framework.

WEST, NATURAL RESOURCES AND POPULATION CONTROL POLICIES IN AFRICA IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, THE | Journal of Third World Studies | Find Articles at BNET.com