 | February 2008 Vol 1 - Number 4 | |
| Headlines
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Delhi reaches out An all encompassing agenda for a summit in April shows India’s determination to strengthen relations with Africa India is seeking to carve out a distinct relationship with Africa, as part of a new competition for resources and diplomatic support, Foreign Ministry officials in New Delhi have said, as they announced details of plans for an unprecedented summit with African leaders in April. Officials describe the four-day summit, culminating in a meeting with heads of state and government from 14 African states on 8 April as a ‘fresh honeymoon’ to ‘consummate’ an action plan for a new partnership. Leaders of key African states, including resource-rich Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, have pledged to attend. The other attendees will be Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. | Headlines
from Vol 1 No 1 Headlines from Vol 1 No 2 Headlines from Vol 1 No 3 OLYMPIC HURDLES ‘Sudan’s government bears the bulk of the responsibility for these on-going crimes, but the international community, and particularly China, should be doing more.’ This was the explanation given by United States film director Steven Spielberg for quitting his role as Artistic Advisor to the 2008 Beijing Olympics in protest at China’s policy on Darfur and it highlights a mounting dilemma for Beijing. Spielberg’s move coincided with a letter from nine Nobel peace laureates to President Hu Jintao calling for a change in policy on Sudan and follows earlier protests by Hollywood actors George Clooney, Mia Farrow and others. Team Darfur, a non-governmental agency urging athletes to protest against the ethnic cleansing in Darfur, has also raised its campaigning in recent weeks. The Chinese Embassy in Washington issued a statement noting that China sought to play a positive role in Sudan and could not be held accountable for the conflict in Darfur: ‘It is completely unreasonable, irresponsible and unfair for certain organisations and individuals to link the two.’ Yet while China argues that there are limits to its leverage over the government in Khartoum, its capacity to influence international opinion appears even more slender. WHO'S
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| INDIA |
AFRICA India's nuclear family Trying to skirt international treaty obligations, India is making a big move in African uranium Faced with a uranium shortage at home, Indian companies are beginning to looking to African uranium producers to meet the country’s civilian and military needs, according to industry sources. India has historically sourced some of its uranium from low quality domestic deposits in Andra Pradesh and other areas, where environmental protests have been increasing and where costs are high. | SUDAN | CHAD | CHINA Year of the Rat The Chinese government has been arming two arch enemies, the governments of Chad and Sudan, who are in effect at war Chinese peacekeepers in Southern Sudan have been awarded United Nations Peacekeeping Medals two months early to coincide with the Lunar New Year Spring Festival, celebrated on 7 February. Events in Chad and western Sudan, however, have brought fresh troubles for the Beijing government and illustrate the growing complexity of its involvement in the region. | |
| GHANA | CHINA Any more business? Ghana has developed close ties with China, but ones that contrast with those enjoyed by other African states The new Defence Ministry building in Accra is under construction by Chinese contractors. Chinese companies built the Tamale and Sekondi stadiums, which were used in February’s 2008 African Cup of Nations football tournament (won by Egypt, the Cup holders), at a cost of US$38.5 million each. China is also involved in telecommunications, roads and other infrastructure projects, including the Bui Dam on the Volta river. Yet the push for access to natural resources that drives China’s policy in several other African countries appears not to be a factor in such investments, according to analysts in Accra. |
AFRICA | CHINA The water margin Chinese companies are building dams and hydroelectric plants across Africa, just as the continent’s energy crisis begins to bite A combination of strong economic growth and institutional neglect of investment in infrastructure has created a serious problem: South Africa, the continent’s largest and most developed economy, is running out of power. Eskom, the South African utility company that typically supplies 60% of Africa’s generating output, is close to collapse. Eskom Enterprises, the commercial arm of the power giant and responsible for its expansion into Africa, has been closed. Following unprecedented domestic powe outages, Eskom has had to withdraw from the rest of continent. |
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| ASIA | PHARMACEUTICALS Asia's pills for Africa's ills Asia’s pharmaceutical companies want to expand their African presence but must tackle distribution and fraud problems first The pharmaceutical landscape in Africa has changed dramatically in the last decade. From a largely European import base complemented by nascent but often problematic indigenous manufacture, it is now a market dominated by low-cost imports from Asia. It is a trade that has spilled over from the huge expansion of the Asian economies, particularly India and China, but for many in Africa it is one step forward and two steps back. | ASIA | SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUNDS How to spend it Asian funds offer a source of credit to Africa and companies there Debate in Europe and the United States over the power of Asia’s sovereign wealth funds has increased sharply in the wake of the current subprime mortgage crisis. Such funds, which have been in operation for several years, have funds to disburse. There are concerns, however, that some funds may be investing with motives other than a desire for profit. Critics are reluctant to see ownership of major finance, telecom and mining companies in the hands of foreign governments. | |