China’s burgeoning relationship with Africa is being decried in some quarters, including western observers – and some Africans, too – as a new form of colonialism. Such criticism is largely misplaced. First, after having preached the globalisation tenet of economic liberalisation and free competition, the West cannot really grumble about being outbid by China in the race for … [Read more...] about QUESTIONS ON THE FUTURE OF CHINA-AFRICA COOPERATION
Saudi Arabia
CHINA – AFRICA : Matching China’s activities with Africa’s needs
The Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF) Regional Office for East & Horn of Africa, Nairobi, and Fahamu Kenya brought together Chinese experts on Africa and representatives of African civil society organizations, providing a platform to exchange views and perceptions, and discuss areas of concerns to both sides, based on various country and thematic case studies. I. CHINA’S … [Read more...] about CHINA – AFRICA : Matching China’s activities with Africa’s needs
Overcoming Africa’s North-South Divide
The late President Mobutu Sese Seko of former Zaire once declared that the North African countries, which pride themselves on their Arabic descent, should be excluded from the then Organization of African Unity. Mobutu's rule was, of course, deeply flawed, but he was not alone within the pan-African movement in such thinking. The antagonism between the blacks of sub-Saharan … [Read more...] about Overcoming Africa’s North-South Divide
West African expectations of Europe
Institute for peace support and conflict management (IFK) Africa-Workshop January 26th to 27th, 2006: Sorting Out the Mess: Wars, Conflicts and Conflict Management in West Africa To assess the expectations West Africa can look forward to from Europe, there is, first, the need to understand the root causes of the problems that have beset the populations and the … [Read more...] about West African expectations of Europe
Starving for Capital in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa's appalling poverty and living conditions have been exposed repeatedly through television and the Internet. But these agonizing pictures represent only the symptoms of an underlying - and largely unreported - malady: capital flight. Capital flight stems from myriad causes: debt servicing, the awarding to foreign firms of almost all contracts financed by … [Read more...] about Starving for Capital in Sub-Saharan Africa
Africa ‘s Oil Rush
It takes a threat to oil supplies to get world leaders to pay attention to Africa . Usually neglected by globetrotting statesmen, the continent recently saw visits from US President George W. Bush, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Brazil 's Lula Da Silva, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and many other world leaders. Their public comments were typically devoted to development, … [Read more...] about Africa ‘s Oil Rush