China in Africa

When Andreas and I went to Kenya we met Liz Rihoy, Director of the Zeitz Foundation (www.zeitzfoundation.org) which supports the Segera eco-preserve (http://segera.com) we visited. We were honoured to be asked to become Ambassadors for the Zeitz Foundation and the great work they are doing.

Liz has lived and worked in Africa for many years, so I asked her what she thought about Chinese involvement there. What’s really great about Liz is her clarity and insight (one of my favourite words). She’s been really kind and came back to me very strongly with an answer full of substance and meaning: a big and important piece of the jigsaw trying to understand the world at the moment.

Liz has said that “…for many involved in conservation and human rights in Africa, there is a …fairly visceral hatred of everything and anything to do with the Chinese. Personally I’m fairly sympathetic to the human rights arguments of these people, but blanket condemnation is not the way to change the Chinese approach, positive dialogue is.”

You can read her letter here:

China’s involvement in Africa

The last decade has been a massive expansion of Chinese influence and economic activity throughout all countries in Africa – averaging a growth of 28% annually – and today China is Africa’s largest trading partner. Estimates for the value of this trade in 2011 exceed US$122 billion. This expansion in economic activity is mainly driven by China’s increasing demand for natural resources ranging from timber, through minerals to agricultural products. This has brought with it both great problems and opportunities for Africa – problems in the form of unsustainable exploitation of the natural resource base and resulting impoverishment of livelihoods, whilst at the same time presenting opportunities for sustainable forms of natural resource use and uplifting livelihoods.

Not surprisingly then, the same period has seen an increasing outcry in the western (not African) media about the negative impact of China in Africa. This has been particularly vicious amongst those in the environment and conservation fields. But is this condemnation fair or balanced? Having worked in conservation and development in Africa for decades and having close contacts and relationships with China, I frequently see China’s footprint in evidence in Africa and don’t believe that the blanket condemnation is appropriate, fair or balanced.  This is not to deny that the increasing demand for natural resources is having a negative impact in the short term – it certainly is – but it ignores the emerging and genuine efforts of the Chinese government and individual Chinese entrepreneurs – to ensure that their involvement, trade and influence is beneficial to African’s and the African environment. And let’s put this into some historical context, the negative influence of colonial powers went unchecked in some cases for a century before there was any serious debate in the west as to whether and how this could become a beneficial relationship for Africa as well as the colonial powers.  China is having this debate from the beginning of its relationship with Africa and is starting to take real measures to ensure that their impact becomes positive.  This debate is being driven in large part by pragmatic realism on behalf of China. They are well aware, from their own experiences, that if exploitation of natural resources is unsustainable, they will suffer in the long run as these resources will no longer be available to them. A realisation that seems not yet to have hit many in the west!

So what are the opportunities that China presents? For starters, China is taking the lead globally in developing environmentally friendly technologies – ranging from solar panels and fridges to rainwater harvesting, to conservation agriculture techniques to name but a few – and ensuring that these technologies are becoming increasingly available in Africa. This represents real opportunities for Africa to adapt to and mitigate the worst effects of climate change.  For example, the Gansu Research Institute for Water Conservation – arguably the world’s leading centre of excellence and knowledge on applied rainwater harvesting techniques – is engaged in programmes throughout Africa to develop appropriate sustainable water management policy frameworks and implement pilot demonstration projects for rain water harvesting. These programmes are financed by the Chinese Ministry for Science and Technology. Meanwhile, thousands of young Africans are sponsored by the Chinese government to attend advanced training courses in China on a wide range of natural resource management and related issues, ensuring both knowledge and technology transfer.

China is also starting to take steps to educate its own consumers about the impact of their consumption in Africa. For example, the last two years have witnessed a significant increase in elephant and rhino poaching, driven in large part, but not exclusively, by demand for elephant and rhino products in China.  As a party to CITES, trade in these products is already illegal in China but nevertheless continues. Following recent visits to Kenya by delegations of government and private sector representatives from China, there is now an on-going campaign in the Chinese media to try to stem demand for rhino horn and ivory. This campaign is receiving broad support, including financial, from individuals throughout China. The campaign is at a fledgling stage and much remains to be done, but it’s a significant start.

Meanwhile philanthropic support from Chinese entrepreneurs is also beginning to emerge – and this, somewhat unexpectedly from a society which – because of its communist system of government – has no recent tradition or culture of philanthropy. Chinese organisations such as the Society for Ecology and Entrepreneurship have provided financial and technical support to various innovative conservation programmes in Africa, managed by local African civil society partners. There are also an increasing number of individual entrepreneurs, led most notably by Mr Luo Hong – renowned in China for his African wildlife photography and environmental education programmes for children – who are providing considerable funds and promotional support to conservation activities throughout the continent.  The efforts of Mr Luo Hong in promoting Africa and environmental issues in China and globally were recently recognised by the Kenyan government when he became the first ever foreigner to receive Kenya’s highest award – the Order of the Burning Spear.

These are just a few practical examples of the growing positive impact of China in Africa. Dwarfing these in real terms are the very significant benefits brought about through increasing trade, industry and tourism. China is currently Africa’s largest growth market for tourism and its tourists are providing thousands of jobs throughout the continent. Much of this tourism is in the wildlife sector, thus providing the economic incentives necessary for maintaining wilderness areas and wildlife. Likewise, thousands of jobs have been created in the industrial, manufacturing and mining sectors. Major investments are being made into upgrading the transport and communications infrastructure. Intercultural exchanges are becoming increasingly common, enriching both African and Chinese societies and cultures. An increasing number of schools, clinics and other social services are receiving support from China. The list of positive benefits is long and most importantly it is growing almost as fast as the increase in trade.

Despite this, on balance at this moment in time, China’s impact in environmental terms is almost certainly negative and its tacit support of authoritarian regimes and ‘big men’ is hindering the emergence of democratic and representative governance regimes in Africa. This is a very real and threatening negative impact which if maintained represents a significant threat to Africa and Africans but even here there are encouraging signs of a shift in China’s position which positive engagement can only influence for the benefit of all.

A closer inspection of Chinese activities in Africa indicates that the Chinese are making significant efforts to ensure that their impact in Africa is positive and sustainable and these efforts are slowly beginning to bear fruit.   Supporting these efforts through positive engagement and dialogue with China is an effective way to ensure both conservation and development in Africa and China.

Dr Liz Rihoy
Executive Director
Zeitz Foundation
Nairobi, Kenya