Abstract

In recent years, China and India have become the most important economic partners of Africa and their footprints are growing by leaps and bounds, transforming Africa's international relations in a dramatic way. Although the overall impact of China and India's engagement in Africa has been positive in the short-term, partly as a result of higher returns from commodity exports fuelled by excessive demands from both countries, little research exists on the actual impact of China and India's growing involvement on Africa's economic transformation. This book examines in detail the opportunities and challenges posed by the increasing presence of China and India in Africa, and proposes critical interventions that African governments must undertake in order to negotiate with China and India from a stronger and more informed platform.
Fantu Cheru is the Research Director at the Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala, Sweden and Emeritus Professor of International Development at the School of International Service, American University in Washington, DC. Dr. Cheru's previous publications include: African Renaissance: Roadmaps to the Challenges of Globalization (2002); The Millennium Development Goals: Mobilizing Resources to Tackle World Poverty (2005); Ethiopia: Options for Rural Development (1990); The Silent Revolution in Africa: Debt, Development and Democracy (1989). His articles have appeared in Third World Quarterly, World Development, Review of African Political Economy, International Affairs, and Review of International Political Economy, among others. Dr. Cyril Obi is a Senior Researcher, and Leader, Research Cluster on Conflict, Displacement and Transformation at the Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala, Sweden.In 2001, he was a fellow of the 21st Century Trust, Conference on 'Rethinking Security for the 21st Century', also held at Oxford. He is a contributing editor to The Review of African Political Economy, and is on the editorial board of The African Journal of International Affairs, The African Security Review and The Review of Leadership in Africa. The Nordic Africa Institute (Nordiska Afrikainstitutet) is a center for research, documentation and information on modern Africa. Based in Uppsala, Sweden, the Institute is dedicated to providing timely, critical and alternative research and analysis of Africa and to co-operation with African researchers. As a hub and a meeting place for a growing field of research and analysis the Institute strives to put knowledge of African issues within reach for scholars, policy makers, politicians, media, students and the general public. The Institute is financed jointly by the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden).
'Readers will find the book to be both educative and critical.' Adebayo Olukoshi, African Institute for Economic Development and Planning 'World hegemonies are shifting from the Atlantic to the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. The rise of China and India, the relative decline of the US and the waning centrality of Europe will all have far-reaching impact on Africa. The new geo-political stratgey of the US expressed openly in the militarisation of the African continent would find the Eastern seaboard of Africa the weakest link in the Indian Ocean rim. Under the circumstances, a deeper understanding of the global situation and its impact on Africa is cricially important. The contributors to this book attempt to provide us with such an understanding. It is most welcome.' Issa G. Shivji, University of Dar es Salaam 'A timely work of scholarship that doesn't shy away from hard questions regarding the implications of Asia's rise for African development. It will be welcomed by academics, policy makers and students alike for its clear-eyed analysis, data and comparative insights.' Chris Alden 'A very valuable addition to a whole series of new and on-going debates about the character of China and India’s engagement with Africa.' Kenneth King, University of Edinburgh