Gyude Moore: “China in Africa: An African Perspective”

CA 9+ Gyude Moore: “China in Africa: An African Perspective” 403,247 views •Mar 25, 2019 7.9K 391 Share Save Paulson Institute 6.92K subscribers Gyude Moore speaks about China’s expanding presence in Africa at the Paulson Institute's Contemporary China Speakers Series on March 5, 2019. W. Gyude Moore is a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development. He previously served as Liberia’s Minister of Public Works with oversight over the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure from December 2014 to January 2018. Prior to that role, Moore served as Deputy Chief of Staff to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Head of the President’s Delivery Unit (PDU). As Head of the PDU, his team monitored progress and drove delivery of the Public Sector Investment Program of Liberia—a program of over $1 billion in road, power, port infrastructure, and social programs in Liberia after the civil war. As one of the President’s trusted advisors, he also played a crucial role in supporting President Sirleaf as Liberia responded to the West Africa Ebola outbreak and shaped its post-Ebola outlook. His research tracks the channels of private sources of finance, the rise of China and its expanding role in Africa, and Africa’s response to these changes. He holds a BS in Political Science from Berea College and an MS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. 2,951 Comments Auggie Giuseppe Add a public comment... Le KY Le KY 4 months ago Western countries telling African nations what's good or bad for them is an insult to Africans' intelligence really. 1.6K Maxy5858 Maxy5858 4 months ago Before China goes to Africa The West: Just let the colonies to fight , donot bother us is fine. After China goes to Africa The West : Do not let them to bulid for you, They will take your lands and resources. The Africa : Donot worry, It has been taken by you for a long long long time.................... 895 Terence Kwong Terence Kwong 4 months ago Every time there's a discussion of Africa/China relations in the Q&A, you'll hear a Westerner ask about Chinese debt trap and Sri Lanka. You can see the guest speaker chuckle and point out that this question always comes up. I like his answer, first time I've heard this fact, China's restructured payments 87 times and only 1 time has there been a debt equity swap. During Covid19 China has provided debt relief to African countries. 912 Tt1 Cheuk Tt1 Cheuk 3 months ago When US doesn't even care for their own people lives under the CcOVID 19, why the hell they would care for African 346 John Yossarian John Yossarian 3 months ago I have written down and paraphrased his main talking points: - Mr. Moore structured his thoughts under three heading: The Inadequacy of Africa's Previous Relationships, The Suitability of China as A Partner for Africa, and What's Next Going Forward. - China didn't just suddenly show up in Africa. - Africa in the 1990's was mired in wars (stimulated by the flow of weapons from ex Soviet republics), diseases (malaria, HIV), and foreign debt (took on by African govts from Western institutions in the 1970's) that brought a lot of humanitarian crisis. - Because of all that, Western countries looked at Africa primarily through developmental aid perspective. No Western business wanted to invest or trade with Africa (except for resource extraction businesses, I guess). - In 2000, China invited African governments for the FORCAC (Forum on China and African Cooperation). - In the same year, Chinese firms were also encouraged to go abroad to seek resources and market. - At the same time China was also beginning to become the factory for the world, so they begun to seek access to resources at source in Africa. The reason was because China didn't want to depend on the international resources markets. - So Chinese companies began to negotiate with African governments by offering a completely different model. - 100 companies listed on London Stock Exchange or domiciled in the UK own 1 trillion dollar worth of resources in Africa. - Western companies come to Africa, pay for royalties and taxes to African government for resources and the governments use the payment to pay for services and infrastructure, etc. - Chinese companies offer infrastructure for resources. - Africa lacks infrastructure. Especially paved road and electricity. Only 43% of all roads in Africa are paved. 30% of them in South Africa. - Because of this lack of infrastructure. Africa's total share of the global trade in 2017 was equal only to South Korea. - The Chinese showed up and began to build infrastructures that were not based on the old colonial infrastructure model, which was to facilitate the exploitation and movement of resources from the periphery (the African colonies) to the center (Western colonizer countries) and not meant to connect African countries with each other. - What China is doing now is to build infrastructure to connect African countries and cities, which makes it possible for regional value chain to develop. - After the end of Western colonialism of Africa, Western states in Africa were replaced with Western companies that negotiated unfair deals with African governments. - It was the inadequacies of these deals that made African countries welcomed Chinese companies. - The suitability of China as a partner of Africa lies in the fact that Chinese companies offer to do projects on lower costs when compared to Western companies. - Why? Although it's true that Chinese companies sometimes bribe African officials to win projects, but it's also true that Chinese companies operate on lower costs than Western companies without reducing the quality of the work. - Another facet of the suitability of China as a partner is how the Chinese government officials treat African governments official. Issues: - Around 2000, Western powers through World Bank created Highly Indebted Countries program through which African countries can have their debts waived. Most African countries have gone through the program or close to it. - However, in six years some of these countries have incurred new high debt and a big chunk came from China (not the majority). - China's share of total African debt stock is 17%. Most of Africa's debt are owed to multilateral developmental banks and private Western institutions, which is the main driver of debt in Africa. - There are 54 countries on the African countries. Close to 90% Chinese debt to Africa went to 7 or 8 countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Angola, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo. - China's role in decimation of wildlife in Africa. Chinese government introduced a ban in 2015 which drove down ivory price by 75%. - China's sale of arms to Africa. - There is also the argument that the availability of Chinese products makes it difficult for African domestic industries to develop. - In the year 2000 there were less than 1,000 African students in China. Today, only France exceeds China as destination for African students. China will exceed France in ten years. On the other side there was a conference on Africa at USC in 2018 that had to be cancelled because all African invitees were denied US visas. - EU's policy towards Africa today is shaped by immigration issue: How to prevent more Africans from immigrating to the EU. - The new US policy on Africa seems to be driven by the US need to response to what China is doing in Africa and not based on what Africa needs. - China's presence in Africa has been and continues to be a net positive. The future is unknown. - Between 2000 and 2019, China has waived, restructured, and rescheduled debt payment 87 times. - Agro-tech is one possible path out of poverty for Africans. - 609 AFF HB AFF HB 3 months ago You have to notice that most questions are trying to dig as much negativity about China involvement in Africa as possible. Seems none care about how can US gets into more positive involvement in Africa. Exactly a bunch of Boltons .... 484 Subhas Chandra Boss Subhas Chandra Boss 4 months ago (edited) A country's human rights records like Saudi Arabia or India does not matter to the US when it sells arms. 572 Hi Ming Hii Hi Ming Hii 4 months ago The China debt talk by the West more like sour grapes to me. 712 Sun Winson Sun Winson 4 months ago I like this kind of full of number and fact check talk, brilliant, 253 Nkanyiso Africa Nkanyiso Africa 3 months ago This guy speaks well on behalf of Africa. I agree with this 100% as an African 398