But when I visit Africa, and I have many times, most of the things I see that are lasting are from the Colonial period....churches, hiways, bridges..
China, India have history of continuous governments 3-4000 years.
Western societies, have modern history (arguably) for 2000 years.
(read - they are building something for that many years)
On the other side.
With exception of Ethiopia and Egypt, modern governments of Africa, in most of cases have started in last 100 years, with legal and govt system mostly a copy from the colonizing countries or with some foreign influence (Soviet)
It will take time to develop.
In order to do that, they need relatively stable governments, which can develop social, medical, and most important - public educational systems in place, in order for next generations to keep the pace with other countries.
In parallel, economy must be developed to finance all that.
On the other hand, local war and warlike conflicts, will stop any progress, and bring the local communities to (african) social system as of 19th century and backwards. It will stop foreign investments, and local developments, and as in our case - will stop the tourist industry, speeding up economic decline. (followed with wildlife populations decline, because in African local conflicts poaching thrives, for bush meat, for troops, or refugees, or for black market for ivory and rhino horn - to finance local conflict groups)
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