The need for a revision of this well received and reviewed work was obvious to all serious observers of sub Saharan Africa: The emergence in the last decade of the enormouspolitical, economic and social clout of China, the desire of Magrebi states and Egypt to continue a "southward" policy that includes conversion to Islam, Arab investment and especially control of oil and agricultural lands. Professor Mentan has lucidly discussed the origins of neo colonialism and in this new work not only challenges the "benign" intent of China and Libya, he also introduces 3 new chapters on NGO-land...the Haiti-like conversion of whole regions into dependence on non governmental organizations based in the West(but also, increasingly, in the East). Mentan also discusses African higher education and its thralldom (in too many cases) to European or American models that are unworkable in the HIPC nations of West and Central Africa. This "academic capitalism " is shown as extremely harmful to the poorest African societies especially Fundamentalist Islam and Christianity. The author does not spare national and local elites and homegrown political and social players in what has happened but he argues that that the forces of neocolonialism(although they would decry that label) still seek to atomize, exploit an dominate via concentrated ownership and development of Africa's immense natural resources and potential consumer demand. Finally, this study also discusses the realities of genocide, permanent war, disease and forced urbanization as they effect the African people discussing Darfur, Southern Sudan, Eastern Congo, Rwanda and Cote Ivoire.
