Bobbsy, just to be even-handed and show we're not knocking just Africa, (although few who fly into Africa would disagree that it can sometimes present rather unique challenges), I hope this post will elicit a few responses from pilots who operate regularly into Kennedy at New York - quite possibly the biggest and busiest 'Third World' airfield in current operation.
Wing tip clearances (and not just at JFK) are, at the best of times, minimal, as airport authorities attempt to squeeze the proverbial quart out of a pint pot and allow as many aircraft to use the limited apace available.
Infrastructure just about everywhere is barely able to cope with the levels of traffic now using most airports. JFK is perhaps a little worse than most, but it's by no means alone. It's like most airfields everywhere - no one wants to spend any more money than they really have to, and perhaps just as importantly, offend the always noisy tree-hugging fraternity by expanding facilities at airfields to cope with increasing numbers - and size - of aircraft. In many cases, there just isn't the space anymore to expand into.
Heathrow and the protests over the long awaited Terminal Five is a case in point.