THE recent decision by the United States to suspend certain categories of aid to poor countries should be seen as a wake-up call for our continent, and for Zambia in particular. As Dr Samuel Maimbo, the African Development Bank presidential aspirant, rightly pointed out, the American foreign policy on aid is not a lifelong commitment to Africa, but rather a strategic gesture that could be withdrawn at any moment. In essence, America has an obligation to develop America, and any help extended to Zambia is a kind gesture, not a binding contract. We must therefore prepare ourselves to thrive independent of foreign aid by leveraging our abundant natural resources and untapped potential. It is high time that African leaders, including...