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Published 1st July 2008

Vol 1 (AAC) No 9


Wired for growth

Image courtesy of Panos Pictures
Image courtesy of Panos Pictures

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Chinese companies lead their Indian and Japanese counterparts into African telecoms, the world's fastest growing market

The battle for African telecoms is on. From the ground up, from the base stations and transmitting equipment to the rival cellphone companies, Asian and European companies are competing in Africa, searching for new markets and revenues. Almost every African country has signed multimillion dollar contracts with Asian telecoms equipment manufacturers and service companies. Growth in equipment, maintenance and services continues. The latest overtures from India's mobile operators suggest the competition will get tougher still in Africa's telecoms. For now China is assuredly in the lead (see map on page 2).


Developing and insuring prosperity

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The two banks backing up Chinese investment in Africa

SINOSURE: China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation (Sinosure) was established in December 2001 through a merger between the People's Insurance Company of China and the insurance arms of China Exim Bank....


China's battling banks

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The mighty Chinese banking triad

CHINA EXIM BANK: Established in 1994 under the Policy Banks Law, China Exim Bank is currently the third largest export credit agency in the world. China Exim Bank is tasked...


Competing to finance Africa

The slow motion revolution sweeping across China as the state-owned banks assert their independence from Beijing's directives will mean a much wider range of financing available to Africa. Commercial rivalries and diminishing coordination may make it harder to work with the banks, which remain at the core of China's Africa strategy.

China Exim Bank and Sinosure are together expected to become the world's largest export credit agencies by 2010, according to the Export-Import Bank of the United States, just two decades after...


More policing of the peacekeepers

Indian soldiers are being accused of not knowing where their loyalties lie

Indian peacekeepers in the United Nations' troubled mission in Congo-Kinshasa face a new investigation - this time into claims that a senior officer has publicly declared his support for Tutsi rebels....


The tough trade talks after Hokkaido

Aid and trade are to be discussed as Africa looks to Japan to act on protectionist farming tariffs

Tokyo's careful diplomacy ahead of the Hokkaido G8 summit the 7-9 July now faces its biggest test among African states: how can Japan explain its stance at the next round...


The trains don't run on time

Angola's infrastructure is being given a makeover by Beijing

Relations between Angola and China are steaming ahead, despite the wishful thinking of some Western diplomats. China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao visited Luanda on 23 June and signed an agreement for...


Number crunching

Is there Chinese corruption afoot in Congo-Kinshasa?

Beijing's multi-billion dollar plans for Congo-Kinshasa are hitting new obstacles as questions are being asked about the transparency of the new deals and the behaviour of Chinese companies on the ground....



Pointers

Hassan Wirajuda

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia

An experienced diplomat, Wirajuda is well-known in regional politics. His country's membership in several multilateral organizations frequently takes him into the African orbit. Wirajuda visited Kenya from 19-20 June. After meeting...


K.V. Kamath

President, Confederation of Indian Industry

The sixty-year-old from Mangalore is revered in business circles for transforming a small lender, ICICI Bank, into a dynamic private enterprise. He joined ICICI in 1971, working in project finance and...


Zhai Jun

Assistant Foreign Minister, China

A specialist in the Middle East and North Africa, Zhai is responsible for China's West Asian and African relations. The Hebei native joined the Foreign Ministry after finishing university and...


Chi Jianxin

President, China-Africa Development Fund

The CADF has passed its first birthday. Announced to much fanfare at the 2006 China-Africa summit, it was formally established in June 2007 by the China Development Bank. The 50-year...