Clearly, Europe has access to much greater sustainable biocapacity if it can harness sustainable energy resources in North Africa (in return for services and manufactured goods). On the upside, this would increase the capacity of North African nations to cope with the climate crisis. On the downside, it may well increase the exposure of Europe to the climate crisis in North Africa, as well as in Europe. On the upside, as you suggest it may be massively exposed to the climate crisis in North Africa in any event, and having a clear natural resource stake in North Africa might lead to it being more pro-active in helping North African nations cope.

Obviously, the powder keg at the pivot of Western and Central Africa is Nigeria. And wrt Nigeria, I have no clue. I am not an optimist with respect to the Democratic Republic of Congo, but with the DRC I can at least see a way that could be charted back to being a developing nation-state once again ... and with it, obviously, would come greater stability to all of Southern Africa.

But Nigeria, there I'm completely stumped.


I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.