Africa How Do You Spell Relief?

The rhetoric was just what the world has come to expect of a United Nations forum. African officials spoke earnestly about the need for their continent's people to "pull themselves up by their own bootstraps." Western officials spoke approvingly of Africa's new maturity, its emerging can-do spirit. During the special five-day session of the General Assembly, representatives of both borrower and lender nations heralded an agenda to tackle Africa's Herculean economic, agricultural, ecological and growth problems. Even the Reagan Administration, often critical of what it sees as misguided African policies, joined in the cheering, speaking of a "stronger partnership with Africa...