A call for synchronicity

'There is a lot of room for everyone' to take part in the continent's development, senior Chinese diplomat says

As more money flows into Africa, investors must align their strategies with the continent's development goals to prevent duplicating efforts and wasting resources, one of China's most senior diplomats has said at a forum in Kenya.

"Impressive proposals are made by potential development partners, but very little is actually achieved on the ground, with little involvement from host countries," Zhang Ming, the vice-minister of foreign affairs, said at the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

"When African governments buy into a project, the degree of success is higher and more beneficial to its citizens. In addition, governments should have evaluation mechanisms to ensure they are actively involved in the development process."

The conference was at Nairobi's Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Aug 27 and 28. It was the first time it had been held in Africa.

At the event there was clear emphasis on quality verses quantity, which at times highlighted China's increased involvement on the continent. However, Zhang cautioned against negative competition and welcomed third-party cooperation in Africa.

"We hope any cooperative party will deliver quality work here - not only quality, but also encourage partnerships that will be in Africa's best interest," he says. "There is a lot of room for everyone, and what Africa needs is commitment and high efficiency when implementing projects. China is proud of its project delivery."

Zhang served as ambassador to Kenya from 2006 to 2009. He says even then the quality of Chinese infrastructure being built in Africa was competitive compared with projects undertaken by developed nations.

"Examples of our high-quality infrastructure are myriad. It's nothing new. Quality should be the goal of all countries that partner with Africa," he adds.

China is a dominant force in the continent's transportation and energy sectors, being the biggest single investor and constructor, with its presence particularly strong in the eastern region.

According to estimates by African Development Bank, Africa needs $93 billion a year until 2020 to eliminate its infrastructure financing deficit.

Zhang says the continent needs support to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union's Agenda 2063 as its own efforts have been affected by a slowing global economy and falling investment.

Despite headwinds, Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank, says the continent is on the right growth path and that solutions to these problems should be developed internally.

International partners should tailor their programs according to the continent's landscape, he adds. "It should be done on a needs basis to promote ownership."

And despite global concerns about Africa's sluggish growth and ability to service growing external debt, Adesina insists there is no debt crisis.

He welcomes strategic partnerships in line with the bank's five priority areas - the so-called High Fives - to transform the continent over the next decade. These are power, food security, integration, industrialization, and improving quality of life.

Japan has pledged $30 billion toward infrastructure development in Africa through public-private partnerships.

At the Johannesburg summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in December, President Xi Jinping pledged $60 billion to the continent over the next three years to support infrastructure development, agriculture modernization, entrepreneurs and industrialization.

According to the detailed plan, $5 billion is for grants and zero-interest loans, with $35 billion for loans with favorable terms and an export credit line, while $5 billion will go to both the China-Africa Development Fund and a special fund for small and medium-sized enterprises. The other $10 billion is for a fund to support production capacity cooperation.

Xi's strategy also includes investment in financial services, green development, trade and investment channels, poverty alleviation and public welfare, healthcare, security and people-to-people exchanges.

China will also develop 200 poverty eradication projects in African villages, construct a disease control center, upgrade local hospitals and establish five transportation universities.

lucymorangi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 09/02/2016 page29)