The 1990's Were an Elaborate Marketing Plan for African Tourism

This is not surprising:

What does the word Rwanda evoke? What about Uganda, Bosnia, or Lebanon? If your thoughts turn to war, chaos, and suffering, you’re not alone. But Rwanda and Uganda are also among a handful of places in the world where tourists can see endangered mountain gorillas. Lebanon is home to breathtaking beaches and ancient ruins. And Bosnia has a storied multi-ethnic culture and excellent skiing.

All of these countries would like travelers to see just what they are missing. Increasingly, regions that were previously war-torn, suffering under brutal dictatorships, or simply off-limits to adventurers are trying to woo the curious with catchy slogans, promises of unspoiled coastlines, and, more often than not, a taste of the conflict that put these locales in the news.

People like to travel to places with history. "History" usually means "people dying for no damned good reason." The prescedent is clear: Combine a horrifying selection of skulls with decent coffee and you've got yourself a tourist destination.

Can There Be a Decent Jeffrey Sachs Profile?

The man with the hair helmet is Jeffrey Sachs, and his organization gets money when you buy the shirt Bono tells you to buy. And then Sachs helps the kids.

But a series of unreadable articles points out the same recurring problem: What happens when Sachs isn't around?

• The April issue of Harper's explained (in a horribly boring way) how local politicians and elites in Kenya ignored Sachs' advice as soon as he was out of sight.
• Bono's Vanity Fair issue explains how Uganda's president couldn't be bothered to act like he was listening to Sachs' in-person advice.
• Today's Times looks at how Sachs' attempt guide oil development the tiny island country of Sao Tome and Principe got bulldozed by the corrupt oil interests in neighboring Nigeria. No one with real power would do what Sachs said.
  

In each (dry as toast) report, some optimistic doctors, technocrats, and reform-minded politicians are very happy with Sachs. But the peasants and presidents just wait for the ruddy-faced man to leave, already.