Until we are personally inconvenienced, it is easy to forget the problems this can cause. But we need to change the current situation where, in far too many respects, the continent remains more directly linked with developed countries than with its constituent nations. It is not unusual to have better flight connections between African countries by first going to Europe.
Indeed, not so long ago, intra-continental telephone communications were routed through London, Paris, Madrid or Lisbon. I am reminded of the observation made yesterday at the first plenary session that to a large extent, the priority of domestic rail and road infrastructure is outward linkages to seaports, rather than to neighbouring countries.