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The G8 meets the Dragon in Africa
James Shikwati
As G8 leaders assemble in Toyako in Japan, it has not escaped
keen observers that the entry of China into the game of doling
money has radically changed the way Africa is perceived in the
World. Africa has become a strategic energy supplier to large
economies. The G8 has been synonymous with Tony Blair’s
sentiments of characterizing Africa as ‘the scar on the
conscience of the World.’ The G8’s traditional approach to
Africa has always been backed up by a squad of celebrities and
Western NGOs who thrive on ‘popularizing’ poverty, disease,
famine and hopelessness on the continent.
In 2005, just when everyone’s attention had been directed
towards the ‘misery’ and ‘darkness’ of the continent through NGO
campaigns, Western celebrity bands and Tony Blair’s Commission
for Africa project; China struck! The entry of China with its
‘Value Free’ aid diplomacy in Africa flung the G8 school of
thought of course after decades of pegging relations with Africa
on democracy, governance and human rights. Suddenly questions
such as, ‘Why is Africa attracting global interest?’ emerged.
Chinese policy of ‘no conditions’ challenged the G8 certitude
and ever since, Africans are witnessing a rat race-a renewed
scramble as each power competes to dole out money and gain
access to the continent’s strategic energy reserves.
Traditionally, Africa has been used to provide raw materials to
the developed world. Africa involuntarily provided human labor
though the infamous slave trade that saw between 10 to 28
million Africans shipped to the Americas and Middle East in the
early 1450 to 1850 to power the then cotton and sugar
industries. Minerals and wildlife have attracted traders for
centuries to the African coast. Africa’s gold powered Vasco da
Gama’s voyage to Calcutta. Unless Africans re-strategize, the
talk of Africa becoming a new frontier for development is a
sham; Africa is still very much the same continent that exports
raw materials to others and receives finished products from both
the re-emerging and developed nations.
The overall common ground shared among the West, China and
India’s approach to Africa has been that of use of aid
diplomacy. Through the G8 (Group of eight leading industrialized
powers), they pledged to be giving Africa $60 billion annually
to fight HIV-AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other killer
diseases in Africa. China joined the race by hosting a record 47
African heads of state and pledged aid amounting to $20 billion
together with $5 billion dollars for loans and credits. India
followed suit and also hosted a summit with Africans and pledged
US$500 million, Japan hosted an African summit and pledged $1.9
billion. At this rate, Africans are likely to loose focus on the
motivation behind all the ‘donations.’
As India (the Tiger), China (Dragon) join Westerners in wooing
Africa (the Ostrich with head buried in the sand) to gain access
to oil and other minerals; Africans can finally put things in
perspective. Africa’s interests are immaterial to donors; from
receiving aid for cold war purposes, for purposes of curtailing
African migration to Europe, to aid for strategic access to
energy for security. The traditional aid diplomacy has failed to
pull the ‘Ostrich’s head’ (Africa) out of the sand! Africa’s
head is deep in the sand, whilst its feet stand on untapped
agricultural potential, on Platinum 89% of World reserves;
Diamonds 60%; Cobalt 53%, Uranium 15% and an estimated 8% of
World’s known oil reserves. While the rest of the World is
preparing the future for their grand children, Africa is busy
churning out “… a vast running sore-a billion people stuck in
desperate conditions alongside unprecedented prosperity.”
Africa must take advantage of the competition for its resources
between the G8, China, India, Brazil, and Malaysia among others
to push for business deals that will earn them revenue as
opposed to aid. Whether individual African states have minerals
and or energy reserves that does not limit the bargaining power;
African states ought to strategize either as conduit states,
manpower provision states, hospitality provision states to
bargain for deals that can benefit their people. Individual
cases of failed states, conflict areas, and famine ravaged
regions ought to be treated as is, as opposed to using them to
generalize the image of Africa. By isolating negativity, it will
be easier to reflect and re-examine causes and offer solutions;
it is unfair to generalize on activities of 980 million people
in 54 countries!
The G8 team is by now aware that Africans no longer hold their
breath to count the number of dollars to be dropped on their
lap. For either the amount pledged never gets out of the G8
wallet, and even the little that does simply makes Africans to
perceive poverty on a continent that is naturally endowed with
wealth. The G8 would do better to market opportunities in Africa
to attract business solutions on the continent. The main
responsibility to get Africa out of the quandary is with the
African individuals; they must pull their heads from the sand,
stop focusing on their immediate offspring, and think a little
further about the future of the grand children of their
children.
James Shikwati Director Inter Region Economic Network and CEO
The African Executive james@irenkenya.org
www.africanexecutive.com
James Shikwati
Director IREN
CEO The African Executive
Nyaku House, Mezzanine Floor
Argwings Kodhek Road, Hurlingham
P.O.Box 135 00100 Nairobi Kenya
Tel: 020 273 1497
Fax: 020 272 3258
Websites: www.irenkenya.com
www.africanexecutive.com
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