ADEKEYE ADEBAJO: Africa in an evolving global order
The continent must exploit economic opportunities while working to end external meddling
The world is experiencing not greater multipolarity, but greater bipolarity. The US and China are waging a new Cold War that is less about ideology and more about markets and technology. The West’s share of global output has fallen to about 50%, the lowest since the 19th century’s age of imperialism. How should Africa understand and respond to these developments?
Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA) expanded last month to include Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Even with 10 members in the bloc, Beijing still accounts for 60% of its GDP. Despite Washington’s bipartisan belligerence towards Beijing, China had been its largest source of imports for 16 consecutive years until Mexico overtook it last year. Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s unwise embrace of a personality cult and repression of dissent could, however, stall Beijing’s socioeconomic progress. ..
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