Africa-China Relations: A Wave fostering African Development

by Admin (Posted on March 21, 2022)

By Tapfumanei Mukarati

If there is a continent fighting towards achieving inclusive growth and sustainable development, it is Africa and many strategies have been crafted and implemented to achieve these fundamental goals of development, one pivotal strategy that has been implemented is making partners with foreign countries and China has proved to be the best partner for Africa as the two thrive to have a mutual beneficiary relationship.

While the global north chooses to largely view Africa as continent of humanitarian intervention, security and a hub for resource extraction, China has viewed Africa from a different perspective – viewing Africa with a constructive and development-oriented view that see Africa as a strategic partner where win-win cooperation is key for sustainable growth and development as the two strive to create a community of a shared future for mankind.

The Chinese’s South to South Cooperation and non-interference foreign policy are conducive for African countries which have been struck and influenced by master-junior partnership often advanced by the west with endless lecture and instructions to African side on what constitutes good governance and development which arguably resulted in African countries taking on unfavorable programs and hence delaying social transformation and economic growth.

But with the Chinese model of partnership of partnership of equals, mutual benefits and building community of a shared future for mankind, Africa is reaping big thanks to from China-Africa cooperation especially with availability of Beijing’s sophisticated technology to African countries at a low cost and sharing their expertise in key areas China has greatly excelled such as poverty alleviation and growing of small, micro and medium –sized enterprise (SMME) development.

China’s contribution and investments in Africa vary from infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, agriculture, mining and extraction. These investments have been propelled in different African countries. For example, in Uganda as a result of such investments, Uganda has different industrial parks such as Mbale Industrial Park, which have created employment opportunities. Outside East African region, Zambia has seen China establishing the Zambia-China Economic and Trade Cooperation the first of its kind in Africa, Egypt has seen the success of the Suez Canal Economic Zone, and Uganda’s Mbale Industrial Park has proved to be one of the best agricultural products suppliers, these are just a few among many other countries in Africa that have seen and benefited from Chinese investment.

The Chinese African Human Resources Fund has been applauded for paying tuition for 10,000 African students to train in Beijing every year, this diversifies the African knowledge base in industrialization and innovation as these students come back to their countries of origin with skills that drive for a green economy and also contribute in China’s economic evolution.

African countries have also placed themselves in a position where they can attract the Chinese investment and South Africa is on the lead in attracting Chinese investment, as it ended year 2020 with approximately USD6.5 billion foreign direct investment from China a fraction of 13.7% Chinese investment in Africa.

In southern part of Africa, Chinese enterprises have brought tremendous development in South Africa, Huawei has engaged in constructing Africa’s first standalone 5g commercial network in South Africa. In the world where the infamous global village is now the sphere where everyone is, the need for fast networks is undeniably very pivotal in ensuring that Africa is connected to the world and appreciates and endorse technological innovation, this is what the 5g network seek to enhancing in South Africa. Thus, it can be said without doubt that China is spreading new technologies in Africa.

The Chinese investments have improved the health facilities and services in South Africa. China’s Weapon Group established Anglorand Medical Pty Ltd it acquired Elite Surgical and Tecmed Africa. Elite Surgical have great capabilities in making implantable medical orthopedic devices with fundamental research and development capabilities, whilst Tecmed Africa focuses on turnkey projects in hospital construction and development, including procurements, hospital equipment design and maintenance. They further teach doctors hospital technical skills. This has helped South Africa to give effective health care to their patients which is a major development that cannot be ignored.

China has made investments that have created employment and most importantly they have played a role is fostering gender equality. China’s Jidong Development Group’s joint investment with Mamba Cement an enterprise owned by black women only has seen black women being part of a modern movement of technology. The company is the only cement plant that applies cogeneration technology and this tech reduces the use of industrial coal, this is healthy for the air and the plant generates 33 million kilowatt-hours of annually.

It is the leading plant in emissions reduction, noise control, sewage treatment and safety protection.

In health sector, many countries in Africa including Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, and Senegal among others received COVID 19 vaccine from China this was a good gesture of strong relations between the two and the fight against the pandemic was a critical and is still critical and China has supported Africa without boundaries.

The China Africa relations have also resulted in the out spill of new technology in African communities that the Chinese enterprises will be operating from, and this gradually makes the societies appreciate technology and desire to own their own new technologies, thus it has motivated the founding of Innovation Hubs that specialize in making better technologies for the future.

African Union’s Agenda 2063 that seeks achieve sustainable development and promote inclusive growth that benefits more people, is achievable as Chinese investors have effectively engaged with Africa and their investments play a greater role in achieving inclusive economic growth and a community of a shared future for mankind.

China is a wave fostering development through making consistent and practical contributions, and these contributions have a positive influence on the economy and social development in the host countries.

It is vital for both Africa and China to keep their ties strong as they both stand to achieve their goals as long as they are together, and this relationship can stay strong when green deals are made.

The writer is a research fellow with Development Watch Centre; a foreign policy think tank.

 

 

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