China, consolidating Africa´s friendship: Change of scoope in WB historical position

Noticia interessante no FT.com (ver transcriçao abaixo)

É publico o interesse energético da China em Africa em enclaves como o Sudao, e ex-enclaves como Angola, entre outros.

A China enfoca a sua ajuda sobretudo em obras publicas, construçao de edificios governamentais e hospitais, muitas das vezes trazendo consigo nao apenas os materiais de construçao como também a mao de obra necessaria.

Nao faz perguntas impertinentes aos governos locais, nao questiona a situaçao politica e socio-economica. Os governos locais agradecem e retribuem.

Mais do que ajuda é uma relaçao comercial pura e dura, tal como muitas outras encobertas por rotulos humanitários: Petroleo/diamantes por Obra Civil e Infrastruturas.

O resto do mundo está atento a esse novo posicionamento da China no cenário das relaçoes internacionais: assistiu como de pais receptor de ajuda financeira internacional se junta agora à lista dos principais paises donantes, enfocando a sua ajuda no continente Africano. O Banco Mundial quer perceber melhor como está a China a doar e como está a receber.


Fica aqui a transcriçao de excertos da noticia do FT.com

World Bank to work with China in Africa
By Richard McGregor in Beijing
Published: December 18 2007 21:37 Last updated: December 18 2007 21:37

The World Bank has agreed to work with Chinese development bodies on aid programmes in Africa and elsewhere as part of an effort to transform relations with a country that is fast rivalling its influence as a lender.
Robert Zoellick, the World Bank president, said on Tuesday that he had agreed with Li Ruogu, the head of the Ex-Im Bank, a big state-owned lender, to seek joint projects in Africa.

The move follows criticism of China’s lending in Africa, which western government and aid officials say is undermining painstaking efforts to put development assistance to the continent on a sustainable footing. Multilateral lenders including the African Development Bank have been trying to persuade the Chinese to raise standards of transparency in their lending, amid concerns that a fresh build-up of loans could destabilise economies only recently relieved of long-standing debt.

Mr Zoellick, at the end of a four-day China visit, his first as World Bank president, said there was “legitimate concern about building that debt up”. “From statistics I have seen, China has paid attention to debt sustainability, and there is certainly a willingness to discuss that issue because they want to get paid back, too.”
China has so far closely aligned its development assistance to Africa with its quest for resources on the continent to fuel its booming economy.


Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007