Oil in Africa: Blessing or Curse?  April 21, 2011 //
12:00pm1:15pm Event Co-sponsors:  Africa Program  Oil
discoveries have been a mixed blessing for many African
countries, providing great wealth but often bringing the curse
of corruption. The inflow of dollars and other hard currencies
can also drive up the value of local currencies, creating added
challenges for export oriented industry and agriculture. The
history of oil management on the continent has been fraught with
problems, and Wilson Center on the Hill joined by the Wilson
Center's Africa Program hosted a discussion on how developing,
resource-rich countries can avoid the obstacles the oil curse
can pose to sustainable growth. Steve McDonald, consulting
director of the of the Africa Program and the Project on
Leadership and Building State Capacity moderated the discussion,
which also covered the role the United States can play in
maintaining fair practices in African extractive industries.
Nicolas Cook, a specialist in African affairs at the Congr