Africa

For Africa the fast growing presence of the emerging powers on the continent is without doubt the most important development since the end of the cold war. Several African countries experienced an export boom as a result of increased demand for their natural resources by the emerging powers. 

Many African governments have welcomed the interest of emerging powers and China in particular. 

Knowing emerging powers analyses the responses of African governments and business to the trade, investment and aid policies of the emerging powers. The case of D.R. Congo.

Emerging partners of Africa

November 17, 2011

By Bert Helmsing, Professor of Local & Regional Development at the international Institute of Social Studies at the Erasmus University, the Netherlands.

In their African Economic Outlook 2011, the African Development Bank and the OECD together with its UN partners, the Economic Commission for Africa and the UNDP, argued that the growing presence of Emerging Partners is a welcome addition and Africa’sneeds and potentials are so large that there is room for everyone.

Moreover, Africa’s relationships with its Traditional Partners are still dominant in trade, foreign direct investment and in aid. There is no need or excuse for Traditional Partners to lower or change their relationships with Africa and the Emerging Partners and the Traditional Partners don’t bite each other. Emerging Partners do not bring down governance standards and do not worsen corruption, at least not visibly in national level surveys; there is no evidence that Emerging Partners are contributing to a renewed indebtment of African countries or to its de-industrialization.

On November 3, a Symposium was held at the International Institute of Social Studies, jointly organized by the ISS and the Erasmus Centre for Emerging markets of the Rotterdam School of Management, with the title: Sub Saharan Africa and its international economic and business relations: What are the challenges posed by its ‘Emerging Partners’? Richard Schiere and Henri Bernard Solignac Lecomte (of the African Development Bank and the OECD Development Centre respectively) presented the report. The first looked at the macro picture and the second focused on business relations.

Read full report of the symposium

This was orginally posted on thebrokeronline.