COMMENT & ANALYSIS The earthquake and tsunamis that hit Asia on December 26 2004 reminded us of our shared humanity. It has also stirred a rivalry among official donors, whose promises of assistance now exceed $3bn. Yet this disaster must not divert attention from habitual calamities: Asia's disaster has left thousands of orphans, but Africa contains some 12m children orphaned by Aids.
A generation ago, anybody concerned with the challenge of destitution and disease would have focused on Asia. Many outsiders believed obstacles to progress were insuperable. They were wrong. Asia, which contains over half the world's population, has been outstandingly successful. The continent that has failed is sub-Saharan Africa. It is unique in suffering declining average incomes per head, falling life expectancy and exploding poverty.
