During the era of imperialism, European powers as well as a few others scoured the face of the Earth for territories. In Central Asia in the 19th century, the scour was called The Great Game. On the continent which the Nile flows, where the wildebeests roam the Serengeti, the Game had another name: the Scramble for Africa. Two centuries later, history is repeating itself in Africa as well as in Central Asia. Though the race does not come in the form it once took or with players that once played the game, it is a race nonetheless. Africa in particular has been the center of attention by both the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China.
For China, its economic growth requires so much fuel that it is embarking on a massive global search for precious resources to quench its thirst. In quest to secure sustainable growth, realizing that Africa is rich in natural resources, China is buying influence there by promising no-interest loan worth billion of dollar to improvised but resources-rich African nations:
Before arriving, he announced soft loans worth another $3 billion and a doubling of aid to Africa over the next three years.
[…]
This, probably more than anything else, is what makes Mr Hu popular with African governments. His largesse comes with no strings attached, unlike pesky Westerners who insist on anti-corruption drives or improving human-rights records in exchange for money. China’s hand-outs come without the tang of neo-colonial interference so disliked by many Africans.
This is on top various investments made by the Chinese across the continent. It is suffice to say that to Africa at the moment, China is Santa Claus.
In a way, Africa is the perfect target for China. The competition for natural resources might not be as fierce at it is in the Middle East and Central Asia. In the Mideast, there are United States as well as other powerful corporations that in some ways monopolize the world’s supply of fuel. With Iraq in shamble and Iran rattling saber with the US, risk is high.
In Central Asia, there is the ever-jealous Russia trying to reassert its influence on the former states of the Soviet Union. And of course, the United States is everywhere, worthy of the label superpower it claims to. In these two regions, I would use the word crowded to describe the situation. Africa on the contrary has so many places remain unexplored. So far, it is a free for all and China is leading the pack.
The spotlight on Chinese interest on Africa has attracted the world to both. I trust the US is especially suspicious of the Chinese activities in Africa. Further, the US is not new in Africa. Earlier, there was rumor that the US was indirectly involved in the recent conflict in Somalia:
The officials said the C.I.A. effort, run from the agency’s station in Nairobi, Kenya, had channeled hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past year to secular warlords inside Somalia with the aim, among other things, of capturing or killing a handful of suspected members of Al Qaeda believed to be hiding there.
And then, who could forget of CNOOC’s failed bid for Unocal back in August 2005?
To be fair, the US interest in Africa is not mainly due to Chinese presence. The US fears Islamist influence and indirectly, anti-US groups. This is in line with the US alleged role in Somalia. The issue on security has led the United States to establishing a new command center in Africa:
WASHINGTON: The Pentagon will establish a new military command to oversee its operations in Africa, President George W. Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced.
Creation of the U.S. Africa Command, which had been expected, will “strengthen our security cooperation with Africa and create new opportunities to bolster the capabilities of our partners in Africa,” Bush said Tuesday.
And of course, China and the US are not the only players of the race. Other countries, including Malaysia have already created substantial presence in Africa:
American sanctions have kept many companies from Europe and the United States out of Sudan, but firms from China, Malaysia, India, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates are racing in. Direct foreign investment has shot up to $2.3 billion this year, from $128 million in 2000, all while the American government has tried to tighten the screws.
Competition will be fierce. In fact, Malaysian national oil and gas company has been kicked out of Chad. Suspiciously, that episode has proven to be profitable for the Chinese.
Nevertheless, while the last scramble brought most of Africa to its knees, I have a feeling that this race will be different. With all the investment coming in and increasing trade, something good is bound to happen. I am optimistic that Africa is looking forward to a better future. I am optimistic that the second scramble is the precursor to the prosperity globalization promises. There will be obstacles of course but this scramble is too precious to squander that I do not think the obstacles would stop Africa from gaining respect from the rest of the world.
