U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday warned of a creeping "new colonialism" in Africa from foreign investors and governments interested only in extracting natural resources to enrich themselves. African leaders must ensure that foreign projects are sustainable and benefit all their citizens, not only elites, she said. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110611...lYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDY2xpbnRvbndhcm5z
yea, sad but that is what is going to happen. some people only care about their backs. I see that more than ever.
Diplomatic talk for China. The Indian merchant class has been there for a long time as well but, did not have a nationalist agenda. Right now the Chinese are building dams, hospitals and even schools as part of the trade deals. Sounds great but, they are using no African labor and leave behind 'advisors' and techs to be in charge of their generosity. The Chinese are building infrastructure for the purpose of resource extraction. Below is the full article: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/...ca-and-why-the-west-should-be-very-worried.do Like every great argument there is a counter it is below: http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/09/the-china-dream.html It appears that any attempt to control Africa's resources by China will be affected by their own ability or inability to manage these contracts and agreements. In America we are fully aware of China's lack of quality products and so-called services, this is evidence of their inability to properly manage assets. Africans are not foolish, they have dealt with Colonialism before from European nations. Many Africans are very astute in business and will not allow themselves to be walked over. Yes, some 'leaders' will sellout but, as Americans we can hardly talk even Pres. Obama received most of his campaign money from Wall Street employees.
The Europeans has abused Africa so much that there are certain parts of Africa where they are not even allowed to enter. China is just doing what America WISH it could do.
European companies are already there, dividing and conquering. There is a huge demand for biofuels in Europe. A recent report from Friends of the Earth claims that a third of all land sold or acquired in Africa is meant for fuel crops (i.e. jatropha, sugar cane, oil palm, cassava). http://www.foeeurope.org/agrofuels/FoEE_Africa_up_for_grabs_2010.pdf The European Union's biofuels target (20% of liquid transport fuels must come from renewable sources by 2020) is prompting European companies to participate in African land grabs that threaten to increase food scarcity. Even worse, the deals are often made without consent from local communities. http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0829-foe_land_grabs_africa.html African countries that are experiencing land grabs include Mozambique (over 183,000 hectares allocated for jatropha), Benin (400,000 hectares of wetlands to be converted to oil palm crops), Sierra Leone (Swiss company Addax Bioenergy purchased 26,000 hectares for sugarcane), and Ghana (over 800,000 hectares purchased by international biofuel companies). These unlucky countries are subject to a range of problems - soil degradation, loss of arable land for food, increase in food prices, and water depletion, among other things.
And still abusing. Land grabbing in Africa is increasing and it is dominated by European and Chinese companies. The report, "Africa: Up For Grabs" reveals how local communities are having their land taken and there are few safeguards for local community land rights. Forests and natural vegetation are being cleared, and biofuels are competing with food crops for farmland. http://www.foei.org/en/resources/publications/pdfs/2010/africa-up-for-grabs In Tanzania, Madagascar and Ghana there have been protests following land grabs by foreign companies. Even more land will be required for biofuels if the European Union is to meet its political targets to increase transport fuels from renewable sources. Adrian Bebb, food and agriculture campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe, said: "Our research shows that Europe's demand for biofuels is a major driver of land grabbing in Africa. Local communities are facing increasing hunger and food insecurity just so rich countries can fuel their cars. The EU must urgently scrap its biofuel policy. We must invest instead in environmentally friendly agriculture and decrease the energy we use for transport." A map showing the scale of the problems and a list of companies involved in growing biofuels in Africa can be found here: http://www.foeeurope.org/agrofuels/FoEE_Africa_up_for_grabs_2010-Map-Tables.pdf
