Africa : Chinese investments are beneficial

LIBREVILLE, Jan 28 (Infosplusgabon) - Contrary to the views expressed in some quarters that the recent increase in Chinese investments and trade in Africa poses a significant threat to the continent's economy, a report by an independent research organization, Initiative for Public Policy Analysis (IPPA), has suggested otherwise.

The report, said the Chinese incursion into Africa, rather than constituting any threat to Africa’s economy, has been beneficial to the continent.

The report said instead of seeing China's engagement in Africa from the prism of a new colonizer or exploiter, China should be seen as a partner in development.

Titled “China in Africa: An Evaluation of Chinese Investment’ , the report is authored by two Nigerian researchers, Thompson Ayodele and Olusegun Sotola.

It examines the nature of Chinese investment in Nigeria and Africa, and demonstrates a clear trend that suggests that China's investment is largely beneficial to Africa.

It however noted that many African countries have not been able to diversify their exports beyond primary products.

One of the authors of the report, Sotola, said: “China has emerged as a key global leader. Its trade relations and investment activities in Nigeria and other African countries must be examined with the same rigour as that of the Western countries.

Since 2009, the organization had been consistently ranked as one of the most influential and the top think-tanks in the sub-Saharan Africa.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/KIL/GABON 2014

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