GRACELIN BASKARAN: China’s ‘warm embrace’ not always in Africa’s best interest
China’s approach to Africa has been more transactional while the US has focused more on aid and unilateral trade benefits
In recent weeks the spotlight has fallen on Africa’s relationship with the US, China and Russia. Given a shortage of data and evidence in the rhetoric, the US has got the short end of that stick. This is part two of why (“Agoa shows US has successfully courted Africa” (../2023-01-26-gracelin-baskaran-agoa-shows-us-has-successfully-courted-africa/), January 26).
I was at Addis Ababa’s Bole airport last week, and the growth has been impressive. I saw it in 2016 when it was a single terminal airport. I was there again in 2018, and as I was landing saw the construction of terminal two, with highly visible signage of the China Communications Construction Company. In 2019 Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated that second terminal, and when I arrived last week it was so busy I struggled to find a seat to grab a beer...
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