1. INSTRUCTIONS: Read the text below and answer the following...
INSTRUCTIONS: Read the text below and answer the following questions. Make the answer
long so that it can be understand by everyone.
THE AFRICAN CHALLENGE
Africa in the 21st century is a continent of possibilities. With 53 independent and sovereign
countries, Africa is home to the largest desert and savanna plains, jungles, and the pyramids.
The adventure capital of the world leaves travelers awestruck, providing affordable luxury,
prize - winning wines, friendly people, and a rich culture. Even with all of these natural
resources, Africa is also one of the poorest and most underdeveloped regions of the world.
With a history that includes a slave trade, corrupt governments, despotism, genocide, civil
wars, and colonialism, these issues have all contributed to the economic and political
challenges of this vast and beautiful continent. Ongoing armed conflicts, food shortages, and
the AIDS pandemic are but a few of the challenges that plague this part of the world. Almost
half of Ethiopia's children are malnourished, resulting in a stunted and weak workforce that
still operates on manual labor. Sixty percent of all people living in sub - Saharan Africa
(approximately 25.8 million) have HIV, with 2.1 million deaths resulting from AIDS coming
from this region. South Africa alone has one of the highest AIDS infection rates in the world,
with approximately 1,000 people dying daily from the disease, leaving a staggering number
of orphans.
One of the worst human rights violations in recent history is taking place in Darfur, a region
in Western Sudan. The Sudanese government, with the support of an Arab militia, the
Janjaweed, began mounting a campaign of mass killing, looting, and systematic rape of the
non - Arab population of Darfur, in response to a rebellion initiated in 2003 by two local
rebel groups: the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudanese Liberation Army
(SLA). In 2004, the United Nations Security Council called for a Commission of Inquiry on
Darfur, and by May 2006, the main rebel group (Sudanese Liberation Movement) agreed to
a draft peace agreement with the government. By May 2007, 400,000 Darfurians had died
as a result of genocide, while more than 2.5 million surviving inhabitants had fled to refugee
camps.
Despite these tumultuous events, restaurants, and hotels in the capital city of Khartoum
continue to serve patrons, but often without Sudanese workers. The manager of Mo'men, a
popular Egypt - based fast - food chain, believes that the Sudanese people don't like to work
as hard as others do, so he hires Egyptians and Ethiopians. This view is voiced by others
2. who hire servers from the Philippines despite having to pay for their visas, airfare, and
housing. Another explanation offered is that the Sudanese lack the necessary training. A
third reason offered by some is that employers are reluctant to hire black Sudanese women
because of long - standing cultural divisions that exist between northern Arabs and
southerners of African descent. Finally, Islamic expectations view it as unsuitable for
women to serve people in public in Sudan. The impact of political crisis, as well as cultural
and religious expectations, all shape the way in which business is conducted in this and all
parts of the world.
QUESTIONS:
1. What opportunities and threats do you see for hospitality firms that may wish to establish
businesses in Africa?
2. Why would the managers of local hospitality establishments have difficulty taking
advantage of the Sudanese workforce displaced by war and languishing in poverty?
