In an Op-Ed published in the Washington Post on June 10th, 2004, entitled “Building a Better Africa,” President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa spoke out against the view that Africa “lacks the capacity” to bring about true political or economic reform by highlighting some of the significant achievements on the continent towards open and stable democratic institutions. Mbeki says that the assumption held by many, that Africa is incapable of reforming itself, has proved to be fallacious when viewed in terms of recent developments in Africa.

Since the fall of apartheid, South Africa has undergone what many policy makers view as nothing short of miraculous, a transition from a nation bordering on open revolution to the strongest democracy in Africa. Mbeki insists that the transformation of South Africa should “no longer be considered a miracle but…{should} be regarded as typical of the inclusive way in which the people of our continent are capable of resolving their deepest differences.” Mbeki believes strongly that “South Africa today, in its undeniable successes, is the product not of magic but of an old-fashioned hard slog and the collective efforts of a serious, fair-minded and productive citizenry,” and that all the nations of Africa have this same potential.

The potential for political and economic reforms, leading to free and stable democracy continent-wide, has begun to manifest itself. The newly created African Union is gaining strength as “a vehicle for continent-wide transformation.” An incredibly significant achievement of the union has been the passage of “the union's Constitutive Act, which…commits members to democratic principles and respect for human rights, good governance and the rule of law.” This is not idle legislation; the measures laid out in the Constitutive Act will soon “be enforceable by the African Court of Justice.” The South African President shows as further evidence of Africa’s commitment to democracy the creation of the New Partnership for African Development, “a detailed and unified blueprint” outlining ambitious social and economic goals for the continent, goals that have been approved by the international community.

President Mbeki strongly believes that all nations of Africa have the potential to become strong democracies and that the recent accomplishments of the African Union show that the desire to change is also present. Mbeki feels those who believe “that Africans lack the capacity to save themselves and must rely upon the kindness of strangers” need to look more closely at the current dynamic movements in Africa instead of judging based on classical historical assumptions.