Africa must reciprocate with China

In early November, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and heads of state from 49 African countries gathered in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to adopt a three-year action plan to enhance Sino-African co-operation.

Notably, at this session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) China shifted from its largely commercial focus on the continent towards increased aid and debt relief. Its commitments regarding education and training, skills and technology transfer, agriculture and health further illustrate a softened attitude.

According to official publications, FOCAC aims to facilitate collective consultation, dialogue and co-operation between China and Africa.

China's attitudinal shift can be largely attributed to two factors. First, it has faced criticism, mainly from Western countries and institutions, for investing in Africa purely for commercial purposes with little or no regard for the communities that these investments affect.

Second, against a backdrop of structural imbalances in trade between China and Africa (with Africa dependent on exporting its raw materials), China has realised that focusing more on the people of the continent and its social structures would bolster Sino-African ties.

For the three-year period starting in 2010, China has made commitments in a number of areas:

ýTrade and finance: China will provide $10-billion in concessional loans to countries and a $1-billion special loan facility for small and medium enterprises. Certain debts will be cancelled and countries classified as "less developed" will receive zero-tariff treatment across 95% of traded products, with 60% becoming tariff-free before the end of the year.

ýScience and technology: Numerous scientific and agricultural joint projects will take place in Africa. To maintain the ongoing success of these initiatives, China will train 2000 African agricultural technology personnel and more than 100 post-doctoral candidates.

ýHealth and education: China will donate 500 million yuan or $73-million, in anti-malaria materials to the 30 hospitals and 30 malaria prevention and treatment centres built in Africa.

China's commitments stand in stark contrast to the lack of any formal, coherent and united policy from Africa. What is clear from the summit is Africa's distinct need for a strategy that will reciprocate China's attempts at engagement. African countries have made no pledges, nor have they established any benchmarks for 2012. This is worrying for a relationship that is purported to be based upon reciprocal values of co-operation, trust and mutual development.

The small number of representatives from the African private sector at the Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs was another cause for concern. About 300 Chinese companies attended the business matching sessions, yet only a handful of their African counterparts were on hand to share and discuss potential business opportunities.

Chinese businesses are still willingly building long-term economic relationships with the continent. Yet African companies have not been as proactive in seeking relationships with Chinese firms. Africa should step up efforts to meet China halfway. - © The New York Times