Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
I am very aware of debates and analysis’s vis a vis China –Africa relationship, especially those advanced by pro-western development models. Analysts have tried to question China interest in Africa, the fact is however these interests are not new; China’s contribution in Africa’s political and economic liberation and advancement dates back to the struggle for independence.
In His book “Long walk to freedom” the African Icon, Nelson Mandela the anti-apartheid hero and South Africa’s first black president believes his success had much to do with China’s wisdom. According to Mandela China was the spiritual pillar, which helped him survive the days in Robben Island prison. Mandela and his fellow prisoners would celebrate 1st October in prison the day that the Peoples Republic of China was founded. Contemporary China is only 71 years old was a result of 4 years of war of liberation. On 1st October 1949, Chairman of the central government Mao Zedong; proclaimed the founding of the Peoples republic of China. Mao Zedong led liberation war inspired many African liberation movements. Including that of my own country Rwanda. It might be coincidence or hand of fate, but Rwanda’s liberation war started on 1st October and lasted 4 years!
China was a role model for the Algerians to fight the French imperialists; and even before Algeria got full independence, China was the first non-Arab country to recognize Algeria’s provisional government (GPRA) when it was established in 1958. China supported MPLA in Angola and FRELIMO in Mozambique, in their fight against the Portuguese. Inspired Kenyan Mau Mau 8 years uprising against British imperial power. The Mau Mau admiration of China is demonstrated by one of its leaders Waruhiu Itote’s choice of, nom de guerre (war name) which was “General China”. This list is not exhaustive.
Even if China’s support to these liberation movements was a strategy, then China is a good strategist, and that is not a weakness but strength.
In any relationship, dependability is key:
Those who still believe that Africa should forever be tied to the umbilical –cord of the former colonizers; and answerable to the Anglo-Saxons; francophone; Lusophony etc, have to accept that time has come when Africa chooses what works for it.
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says that “A man without a smiling face must not open a shop”
This ancient Chinese proverb carries more weight than its literal meaning. Don’t impose yourself simply make yourself likable and trusted. In 1894/1895, European countries meeting in Berlin under the chairmanship of Chancellor Bismarck, allocated every square meter of Africa among themselves. Imposed their rules, religion and way of life. This conference that lasted close to four months (104 days) determined todays African boundaries; thus, depriving us of the power of numbers that I alluded to earlier. The numbers are scattered all over the continent. These numbers if economically linked can also be socially linked.
Africa has a population close to 1.3 billion people. No one can predict what Africa would be like without the notorious Berlin conference, we cannot change the past but we can shape the future. It took about 70 years for some African countries to fight and get their independence. In the coming 10 to 15 years, many African countries will have attained 70 years of flag freedom. But we are still very far from economic liberation.
China entry, into Africa did not come with a some emperor drawing of Africa’s borders. China comes to Africa with a smiling offer in terms of trade and infrastructure.
Back to the power of numbers, The world ‘greatest” country as it calls itself, the United State of America in the year 2020 is estimated to be just below 330 million people. That is roughly ¼ of Africa’s population. Similarly, as of February 2020, the population of the EU is about 445 million people. The USA and UE population in the year 2020 is about 775 million which is clearly below the African population, and of course below the Chinese population. Whose number is 1.3 and 1.4 billion respectively. To make matter worse the United States has become so difficult to predict, and right-wing extremism is on the rise in both Europe and America. If you were a leader in Africa looking for a reliable partnership, whose word would you trust?
Basic economic sense.
Basic economics, and business studies tell us that: The major factors of production are: land, labor, capital and entrepreneurship.
In the past we were taught that land is fixed. Yet, historically, there has been attempts to land reclamation; but with climate change, the reverse is also true. We are losing more and more land. On the other hand labor is becoming very scarce in the entire Western world whose population has been shrinking over years; whereas it is becoming more and more in Africa. And despite population control, labor is still abundant in China. By the simple law of supply and demand therefore, labour is cheaper in Africa and china as compared Western countries. In addition, China has capital. So much that its biggest debtor is: The United States of America. The only factor of production that is debatable therefore is “entrepreneurship” and this can be either enhanced or outsourced.
So if you were Africa or China seeking partnership, would you go where factors of production are being depleted or where they are in abundance? It only makes sense that China-Africa partnership, goes for Win-Win situation using reason than emotions.
Towards an African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): Infrastructure is the key.
The Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) entered into force on 30 May 2019. Trading under the AfCFTA Agreement was due to commence on 1 July 2020, but as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, this date has been postponed. It has been indicated that the new date for operationalization is 1 January 2021.
Taking into account the continued COVID19 pandemic, the above date is a too optimistic. Nevertheless, a serious planner would still be better of being optimistic than be caught off guard.
According to the world bank, “The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement will create the largest free trade area in the world measured by the number of countries participating. The pact connects 1.3 billion people across 55 countries with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) valued at US$3.4 trillion. It has the potential to lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty but achieving its full potential will depend on putting in place significant policy reforms and trade facilitation measures.”
In the World Bank write up quoted above, a number of these trade facilitation measures are outlined, but one very important element is absent. Transport infrastructure. AfCFTA dream shall not be achieved by cargo planes. African countries will have to be inter-linked by roads, ports and railways. The colonial infrastructure was designed to meet export of raw materials to western industrial zones. Where African countries were linked, it was by geographical transit accident. For example, it was not possible to construct a railway meant to take copper from western Uganda to the Mombasa port in Kenya, without passing the same railway through Kenya.
Similarly, The Suez Canal was not built to help Africa; it was made to connect the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea to enable a more direct route for shipping between Europe and Asia, effectively allowing for passage from the North Atlantic to the Indian Ocean without having to circumnavigate the African continent. The architects of AfCFTA, therefore, must identify how, different ports along this waterway can be connect to mainland Africa, by rail and roads. No matter how optimistic we are, this interconnectivity shall not be provided by the Bretton Woods institutions (BWIs), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank. These institutions were created to bring about orderly development of the world economy (read western economies) in the post-World War II era. Their purpose was not to develop Africa. The AfCFTA infrastructure if it is to be developed as soon as needed, it has to come from a less bureaucratic, and less patronizing institutions than the BWIs, and that is where China and institutions come in.
To achieve a serious AfCFTA, Africa will need serious political and strategic leadership. Leadership that is not forced to choose between being pro-west or pro-East, but that is pro-Africa. Africa should not choose America, Europe or China for ideological reason but for strategic reasons.
The fact that USA finds it comfortable to owe so much money to China, yet a lot of noise is made when China lends to Africa goes back to the usual Western arrogance. Treating Africans as if they are children, who do not know their priorities. US and Europe lent so much to African dictators particularly in first 3 decades of independence, and the money was largely squandered, sent back to the same countries to buy useless white elephants mansions, the rest disappeared in unmarked Swiss bank accounts. That was fine as far as the west was concerned so long as the dictators sung to western tunes. Aspiration 2 of Agenda 2063 “places importance on the need for Africa to develop world class infrastructure that crisscrosses Africa and which will improve connectivity through newer and bolder initiatives to link the continent by rail, road, sea and air; and developing regional and continental power pools, as well as ICT”. An excellent Agenda but the implementation of the agenda will not drop from heaven like the biblical mana.
In my previous article I gave an example of multibillion planned eastern African railway built in partnership with China. The ambitious project expected to connect almost the entire Eastern Africa. Connecting Mombasa to Nairobi, then continue onward to Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. Further run to Kigali Rwanda’s capital, with a branch line to Juba in South Sudan, Eastern DR Congo , Burundi, Ethiopia. The Mombasa Nairobi leg is already operational. The Ethiopian –Djibouti railway has also been completed. I will not attempt to discuss how many road networks have been built in partnership with China. The prophets of doom say china is burdening Africa with debts. Unlike Europe and America however, Africa does not have the luxury of building its future economy, on slave labour, nor extracting resources from some ‘’dark Continent”. Whether we like it or not, borrowing to build infrastructure to promote intra African trade is more important than borrowing to buy guns.
To conclude allow me to quote once again from my earlier mentioned article Strength in Numbers: The Power of Regional Trade “An African renaissance must be supported through ever-stronger African institutions that promote a united, strong, and free continent with a global voice and a role in global processes”. The win-win partnership between China and Africa is bearing fruit for Africa’s economic liberation. La Aluta Continua!
Mweusi Karake is a veteran journalist and former head of Public Relations/Corporate Communication at the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
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