I've come across two very interesting articles on this topic which has been the cause of huge media debate and as always varing opinions. The first is from a friend's blog who's writing a series on this.. the first is titled China in Africa: The CNOOC Nigerian Oil Deal and the second is from Granta Magazine entitled: "We love China"
My take? China has had an influence in Sierra Leone for as far back as i can remember. China as a nation as grown significantly over the years though and every move they make now are view under a huge microscope especially by western powers. From the point of view of African govts.. or Sierra Leone to be more specific.. they're crying out for huge investment and need people who can put their money where their mouth is. Of course debate is going on about the proposed development in the Lumley Beach area. Again there are varying opionions on this, me.. i see jobs. $280m is also a lot of money by any standards.
However, part of the appeal of the chinese to govt is the lack of questions by the chinese and their wanting to just get the job done. Well, that's all well and good.. but there should be questions in the other direction. The Sierra Leonean interest should be paramount at all times and there should be a legal framework to support this. Signs written only in Chinese is probably not the way to go. So as long as the best is negotiated for Sierra Leoneans (and Sierra Leone's long term interest) and there is accountability. I'm not sure i have any problem with the Chinese influence. Nothing's stopping anyone else to go invest right?
There is an ongoing debate in the forum about Chinese money in Sierra Leone.
1 comment:
Thanks Otolo for the update post on "China in Africa". The forum debate at Visit Sierra Leone is great.
I can understand and empathize with the desperate need for increased Private Sector Development and Direct Foreign Investment in Sierra Leone. But at the same time one has to closely examine the source of these investments, the real intentions of the investors, and the short-term and long-term impact on the citizens and economy of Sierra Leone. Chinese or British or American or whoever investors MUST support the re-building of your country by following and upholding the laws and democratic priniciples set forth in your constitution and hopefully enforced by your courts.
Follow the Money via good, honest, investigative reporting to see what is really going on and who is really benefitting from the new interest that China is showing in West Africa and beyond. Checkout their newly released China's Strategy for Africa document to see if there is anything of substance in it (like a game plan with real benchmarks).
Are the Chinese partnering with local Sierra Leone companies and businesspeople or just coming in to build stuff with their own workcrews and management staff?
Are there any Sierra Leonians working as top managers for Chinese companies operating in your country? Working for Sierra Leone companies operating in China or at least exporting goods and services to their markets?
Are these "private" Chinese investors really private or are they acting as the frontmen for the Beijing government's political and economic strategies for Africa in the 21st Century?
I remain totally unconvinced that Beijing has the interests of Africa's people at heart. I think that their involvement with the regime in Khartom proves this, that their support for Mugabe in Zimbabwe proves this, that the practices for decades by their "businessmen" in the illicit and exploitive trade in timber, minerals, protected animal species, you name it, all across Africa proves this.
Accept their investments? Yes, but not at the cost of giving up your hard-earned political and social freedoms or at the risk of locking-out your very own local, regional, and national entrepreneurial development.
The fact that signs in many of the newly developed hotels and conference centers are written only in Chinese languages has a very good and obvious reason behind it. Think about that.
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