Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
By Gerald Mbanda
The World Bank report titled, “Poverty and Shared Prosperity report 2020” highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to push between 30 to 40 million people into extreme poverty in Africa. The poor in Sub-Saharan Africa are more likely to be exposed to the threats of conflict and climate change. The report further predicts that global extreme poverty will become increasingly concentrated in Africa and without more rapid progress in the region; the 2030 goal of eradicating global poverty will not be reached.
China’s success story in eliminating extreme poverty is a big lesson to Africa that the continent can also overcome poverty. The question of how and when, can be interrogated by borrowing a leaf from China’s experience. Although the conditions may not be the same, but the adaptation of people centered polices, hard work and commitment by leadership form the corner stone of China’s success story. China which is home to nearly one fifth of the world’s population eliminated extreme poverty 10 years ahead of schedule set by the UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. The milestone remains unmatched in the history of humankind to be achieved in one generation.
In the initial period of reform and opening up, confronted by the grim challenge of a large rural impoverished population base and a high incidence of poverty, the second generation of the central collective leadership headed by Deng Xiaoping issued a declaration that “Poverty is not socialism; socialism means eliminating poverty.” China indeed proved that what other countries assume to be impossible has been possible at a grand scale due to the commitment by leadership. China considers fight against poverty important in achieving fundamental human rights.
When I travelled to western China in November 2019, one year before China declared winning the war against extreme poverty, I witnessed how poverty alleviation strategies were fast tracked and coordinated right from the top leadership in government, down to the local leaders and the local people. The poor families in every village were identified and supported to shake off poverty.
What impressed me most was the re-settlement of the poor families that lived in arid areas into a modern housing estate with magnificent furnishings, running water, tarmacked streets, modern schools for children, health and recreational centres etc. It was hard for me to understand how the government was taking responsibility to improve the well-being of its entire population. African economies may not have the financial muscle to put up the same, but improvement in living standards can be done within the available means.
Apartments built for poor families in Guizhou, sheng (province) of southwestern China.
Photo: Gerald Mbanda
For Africa to get out of the poverty trap, it is essential to plan at all levels from top to bottom and the implementation of the plan is key. Coordination and consultation at all levels helps to achieve the same goal without duplication or change of strategy without consensus. The fight against corruption should be high on agenda as it is an impediment to the fight against poverty. Leaders must be of high integrity, transparent, accountable and must put the interests of the people first.
In China, President Xi Jinping, always showed concern about impoverished families and put poverty alleviation as top priority of his work agenda. His proposals and policy decisions paid off and extreme poverty was eliminated in a record time to make a better living for the Chinese people. In his book, “Up and Out of Poverty,” Xi, reflections of wisdom can similarly guide African leaders in the fight against poverty. “How will we ever be able to eliminate poverty?” Xi asks. “We must free our mind and get down to real work. Our work must be performed one step at a time, and our experience will accumulate one step at a time. As long as we look to ourselves for the answers and become self-reliant, we will be able to cast off our fetters and move forward with ease. With persistence, even water droplets can drill through stone.”
Africa must cast off the mis-conception that “we are not able” and develop a positive mind-set and self-confidence. When leadership shows the right attitude and direction, the people will join hands. On the fight against COVID-19 pandemic which is likely to push more than 30 million Africans in poverty, I may say that China has been at the centre stage on the global fight against the pandemic. China has tremendously supported African countries not only in sharing experience and medical materials but also in availing the much needed COVID-19 vaccines. With more people receiving vaccines on time, the looming poverty threat to the African continent can be averted.
Gerald Mbanda is a researcher and publisher on China-Africa relations
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