There is a concept called the Resource Curse. Democracy is stifled to prevent resource wealth falling into other peoples’ hands, and resource-cursed countries are plagued by conflict for the control of said wealth. Mineral-rich central Africa is destabilised because of the resource curse, and various domestic groups vying for their share of the pie. The resource curse narrative encompasses North Africa and the Middle East as well. Even Western allies such as the Arab Gulf states are tarred with the same brush; their resource wealth makes them corrupt and indolent.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 04, 2019 18:11 UTC