CHINA-AFRICAN RELATIONS AND THE GIFT TO THE AFRICAN UNION AND THE AFRICAN PEOPLE

By: Qeko

At the last month AU Heads of State and government meeting in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian Capital, the one outstanding even was the opening of the new AU headquarters constructed by the Chinese Government, fully funded and at a cost of USD $200 million. This has been described by many analysts as the Chinese Government Gift to the African Union and the African People. This 20 storey tower is the tallest building in the Ethiopian capital of Addis. The construction of this magnificent building is the symbols of African-China relations in this age and many African governments are repositioning themselves and have their eyes toward the East.

The amazing thing about this project is that the Chinese Government paid for the project something which shows the commitment China has in promoting social economic development in Africa. While the Chinese fully funded the construction of this project, if this was the West, surely we could have been talking of the loan from the IMF or World Bank to finance such a project. But that China paid for it all is a good sign of China-African relation something which shows that China’s approach to African needs is a little better than the West. The Western nations do not give such free gifts but they are good at providing loans which is the other form of modern day slavery where even the unborn kids come to the world where their countries are in debt.

Now China is giving Africa infrastructure development that people can see with their own eyes something which needs to be appreciated. Like the African Union Headquarters, this is a legacy that will stay for centuries to come and a symbol of Chinese power and influence in Africa. The good thing with China is that they make things easier for African countries unlike the west who through their banks, the IMF and the World Bank continue to oppress the African people in many different ways.

Currently, there is no African country that has not witnessed the Chinese touch. African nations have benefited from the Chinese government in many different ways and we are yet to see how far AfriChina relation will go mainly that the western nations are going through economic turmoil