What Sub-Saharan African country has the best chance of becoming First World?

[Techno-Druid]

What Sub-Saharan African country (excluding South Africa) has the best chance of becoming First World. Capitalist, democracies without much corruption and good human rights on par with Western Europe, North America and East Asia?

This is not to say that African countries are not already advancing and that their people are not advance, but rather what country has the highest chance (or what country are you rooting for) to become developed akin to the West?

Personally, I would choose either Kenya or Ethiopia if not both. Kenya is a rather advancing African nation in itself and Ethiopia is a hub for the African Union.

[Spectral]

Botswana. They're big, have tons of resources, but not very many people. Their government is tolerably competent and they've already achieved a GDP (PPP) per capita of ~$18K. They have more than their share of problems, including lots of HIV, but a potentially bright future.

[Independent voter]

Nigeria. There are immigrant groups who do very well in the US, Cubans, Iranians, Lebanese, Jews, and Nigerians. The only thing holding Nigeria back is the high level of corruption there.

[Nadiru]

Botswana, Senegal, Ethiopia.

[Blobfish]

Namibia - Ethiopia - Botswana

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namibia

In 2013, global business and financial news provider, Bloomberg, named Namibia the top emerging market economy in Africa and the 13th best in the world. Only four African countries made the Top 20 Emerging Markets list in the March 2013 issue of Bloomberg Markets magazine, and Namibia was rated ahead of Morocco (19th), South Africa (15th) and Zambia (14th). Worldwide, Namibia also fared better than Hungary, Brazil and Mexico. Bloomberg Markets magazine ranked the top 20 based on more than a dozen criteria. The data came from Bloomberg's own financial-market statistics, IMF forecasts and the World Bank. The countries were also rated on areas of particular interest to foreign investors: the ease of doing business, the perceived level of corruption and economic freedom. In order to attract foreign investment, the government has made improvement in reducing red tape resulted from excessive government regulations making the country one of the least bureaucratic places to do business in the region. However, facilitation payments are occasionally demanded by customs due to cumbersome and costly customs procedures.[79] Namibia is also classified as an Upper Middle Income country by the World Bank, and ranks 87th out of 185 economies in terms of ease of doing business.[80]

[Hooked]

None of them would be my answer. South Africa was the most advanced and on par with many western countries during apartied but its just decaying now.

[Ave07]

None because they are being colonized by the Chinese.

[I Push Buttons]

None of them would be my answer. South Africa was the most advanced and on par with many western countries during apartied but its just decaying now.

We get it, you hate black people, you can go now.

[Hooked]

We get it, you hate black people, you can go now.

So you want a lie?. Do you seriously think any sub Saharan African country will become a first world cutting edge country?. Get real. Their goal isn't to become a first world country, for that to happen every single citizen needs to strive for it, that just isn't the case in 3rd world countries.

[helmaroc]

So you want a lie?. Do you seriously think any sub Saharan African country will become a first world cutting edge country?. Get real. Their goal isn't to become a first world country, for that to happen every single citizen needs to strive for it, that just isn't the case in 3rd world countries.

Ahh an absolutist I see. Who says you're the only one that can be right?

[Hooked]

Ahh an absolutist I see. Who says you're the only one that can be right?

I am right though. If I said the sky was blue I would also be right. Although if there was a world war that destroyed all the advanced countries on earth the definition of first world country would change.

[Independent voter]

I am right though. If I said the sky was blue I would also be right. Although if there was a world war that destroyed all the advanced countries on earth the definition of first world country would change.

You're racist, I can't believe you don't know that.

[Kalis]

The only ones I have had many personal dealings with are Nigeria, Somalia and South Africa.

Nigeria is corrupt as fuck, Somalia is just fucked and South Africa is struggling to deal with its past, present and future. Having said that, South Africa is relatively easy to do business in - you do not have to bribe everyone or deal with pirates - so from a commercial stand point they get my vote.

[Hooked]

You're racist, I can't believe you don't know that.

Its not racist, its absolute fact. Not every culture follows the same path or wants to follow the same path. To expect everyone to want the same thing you do is also racist. Just let them do what they do and don't expect them to want what you want.

[Macaquerie]

It's going to be tough for them, they have a lot of ground to make up and it's unclear whether they can play catch up faster than the West continues to push ahead. Africa has plenty of resources and lots of smart and driven people, what's holding them back is that their institutions are absolutely rotten and that's going to be difficult to change since all the people in power have no interest in reforming them.

[EternalBany]

None
Take your pick.
From batshit insane leaders, to social problems and health problems that are not going away, to systemic corruption, to uneducated, to big foreign business sucking resources dry and not putting it back into the economy in the form of jobs or money, to tribal feuds subsaharan is a lost cause.
I know 3 of those countries as do my family

[Slant]

Since you're excluding the best candidate, I must wonder if this is just a thread to bash Africa...

[Techno-Druid]

Since you're excluding the best candidate, I must wonder if this is just a thread to bash Africa...

I was excluding South Africa because it was once if not now a First World country.

[Slant]

I was excluding South Africa because it was once if not now a First World country.

Fair enough, in that case... Kenya. If they can produce the US President, the sky's the limit.

[Fibh]

Once upon a time the easy answer would have been south africa and ethiopia. But the first is going downhill fast and the latter has done so already (though there's a chance chinese investments might save them, it remains to be seen).

For now the best bets seem to be botswana and nigeria.