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Africa

Lessons 26 · 1 lessons · Sh. Ergashev, B. Xodjayev, J. Abdullayev. World History (1991–2017): textbook for Grade 11 of secondary schools and for students of secondary specialised and vocational institutions. 1st edition. “Turon-Iqbol”, Tashkent, 2018
26

The countries of Africa, 1991–2017

Textbook: pp. 118–123
GoalExplain the political, economic and social problems and achievements of African countries after 1991.
New words
apartheid, the legal system of racial separation in South Africa · apartheidthe African Union, founded in 2002 · Afrika Ittifoqithe African Continental Free Trade Area, launched to unite Africa’s markets · AfCFTAthe “Arab Spring”, the protests that began in the Arab world in 2010–2011 · «Arab bahori»
Explanation

In 1994 South Africa held its first all-people election after apartheid and Nelson Mandela became president. The same year a genocide took place in Rwanda: within a few months hundreds of thousands of Tutsi, and Hutu who protected them, were killed. The wars in Congo that began in the late 1990s involved several neighbouring states and armed groups. The African Union was founded in 2002 and in 2011 South Sudan separated from Sudan and became independent; since 2023 a war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces has continued in Sudan and caused a serious humanitarian crisis. The “Arab Spring” of 2010–2011 swept through Tunisia, Egypt and Libya: in Egypt the president resigned in 2011 and in 2013, after mass protests, the army removed the elected president Mohamed Morsi from power; in Libya state stability broke down after 2011. In the Sahel several countries had military coups after 2020. Africa’s population is growing fast: the UN projects about 2.5 billion by 2050; AfCFTA aims to expand trade inside the continent.

Worked examples
South Africa: under apartheid the population was divided into racial groups with unequal rights; after the 1994 election a new constitution gave equal rights to all citizens, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission examined past abuses.
Rwanda: after the genocide the country recovered through trials, community reconciliation programmes and rebuilding; the UN recognizes these events as genocide.
Class activity

Find five African states on a map and write one main event in 1991–2025 for each; then classify the events as political or economic.

Practice
1
When was the first all-people election after apartheid in South Africa?
2
In which year and against which groups did the Rwandan genocide take place?
3
When did South Sudan become independent?
4
What opportunities and problems does Africa’s population growth bring? Write one of each.