Final answer:
The problems between cultural groups in Africa can be linked to colonial legacies, artificial boundaries, and the resource curse. These have led to ethnic conflicts, political instability, and economic challenges that persist today. The issues are further intensified by globalization practices that discourage intra-African cooperation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many of the problems between cultural groups in Africa today can be attributed to the legacy of colonialism and the artificial boundaries drawn during the colonial era. This legacy has resulted in enduring ethnic tensions and conflicts. For example, the Rwandan Genocide was deeply rooted in the divisions sown during Belgian colonial rule. Similarly, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be traced back to the brutal colonial regime of King Leopold II of Belgium. The postcolonial challenges that African states face are further compounded by the so-called resource curse, where resource-rich countries struggle with governance and responding to domestic needs.
Additionally, the current political instability and economic hardship are often magnified by borders that were established without regard for ethnic and cultural territories, leading to forced cohesion of incompatible groups and the division of homogeneous groups. This problematic geopolitical structure, originating from the Berlin Conference, has left many countries struggling to forge a cohesive national identity and develop stable governance structures.
Moreover, the contemporary issues are exacerbated by globalization that tends to continue a pattern of economic relationships that do not favor inter-African cooperation, but rather maintain a focus on trade with economically dominant non-African countries. This often leads to a lack of regional unity and cooperation in handling crises.