The United States of Africa

In a BBC story, Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi says there is no future for individual African states and is pressing ahead with plans for a single African
government.

I think it is an idea that's time has come.

The nay-sayers may say that Africa is so different with so many
cultures and languages. But the same can be said about India and China.
But as India and China both have over a billion people, they hold a
lot of sway on the international scene.

Some may say there are more than 50 individual states in Africa-- how can they get along? But the US has 50 states and each state has its own laws and culture. Think how
different people are in Texas versus Vermont!

A federation of Africa states, with a population of 600 million people
would be hard to ignore on the world stage. It would make the United
States of Africa the world's third largest country.

A single market of the USA would bring down many inefficient tariffs
and bring on the benefits of a large market and economies of scale.

And with a federal government lording over local governments, civil wars and genocide would be more unlikely to happen.

Finally, many if not most African states today are artificial creations
anyway. Local cultures would be no more diluted under a huge superstate
than they are now. In fact, they may better preserved.

There is certainly room for more than one USA in this world. It is an idea that's time has come.