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Published 1st August 2008

Vol 1 (AAC) No 10

The Beijing development plan

Image courtesy of Panos Pictures
Image courtesy of Panos Pictures

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Geographic and sectoral 'special economic zones' are China's keys to opening African markets to increased trade

African states are competing to host China's special economic zones in the expectation they will bring in billions of dollars of investments and create tens of thousands of jobs -in exchange for generous tax exemptions and privileged access to natural resources.

Constructive competition

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Prime Minister Ramgoolam's plan for Chinese investment faces a few hurdles yet

Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam began negotiations to make his country China's second special economic zone at the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation held in Beijing in November 2006, after the Indian...

Three is a crowd

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Efforts by Kenya to push a compromise over a refineries contract between companies from Libya and India over oil are proving messy

Kenya finally has succeeded in bringing together rival suitors for an oil refinery rehabilitation contract - but failed to secure an agreement. The acting Finance Minister, John Michuki,...

In deep water

African states are at last taking action against the clandestine trawlers pillaging their fishing stocks

Members of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa have committed themselves towards the establishment of a multinational coastguard service to patrol the largely ungoverned seas off Africa's...

See you in court

China's investment plans in southern Africa are running up against legal barriers

Namibia Construction and South Africa's Murray & Roberts claim that a N$74.4 million (US$9.5 mn.) contract awarded last year to China Nanjing International for the construction of a new headquarters for...

Washington, Beijing or African consensus?

Those African regimes seeking to emulate the Chinese model should remember that real development starts at home, argues Senegalese writer Adama Gaye

Sports and politics rhymed perfectly as the organisation of the Beijing Olympics confirmed China's global rise. And the impressive harvest of medals won by China's athletes lends credibility to claims that...

Tokyo's test

The Japanese are after Sudanese energy

Until public protests over Darfur two years ago, Japan was one of the biggest customers for Sudanese oil. But unlike China and India it had no direct investments in Sudan's...

Flying higher

Chinese investors are to rescue Tanzania's state-owned airline and rennovate Julius Nyerere International Airport

Talks on a complex three-party investment deal between China and Angola and the ailing Air Tanzania Company are nearing conclusion, officials have confirmed in Dar es Salaam. The aim...

Blue helmets, red faces

Investigations into sexual abuse charges are to get underway soon

India's defence minister A. K. Antony has ordered 'prompt and time-bound' investigations into charges of child sexual abuse by 60 of its soldiers deployed to the Mission des Nations Unies en...

Pointers

Ramakrishna Sithanen

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mauritius

Sithanen is the key strategist behind his country's fast-expanding ties with Asia's hyper-economies, China and India. He wants Chinese and Indian investment to support his plans for the development of...

Anand Sharma

Minister of State for External Affairs, India

An experienced Africanist, Sharma's appointment as a Deputy Minister in the Foreign Ministry shows how seriously India is taking its new Africa strategy.

Li Jinjun

Vice-Minister, International Department of the CPC Central Commitee

A new player treads the boards of the African stage: Li Jinjun, Vice-Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China's Party's Central Committee. The party's International Department forges...

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu

Secretary General, Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC)

Heading the unwieldy OIC, Ihsanoglu needs all his considerable reserves of tact and political determination. It may help that he can draw on his wide-ranging personal history, which straddles Africa...

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