quote:

If you look at the infrastructure of Africa most of it is designed to extract whatever it is that the West wanted to extract. There are not many roads, train infrastructure, or canals between African countries to enable them to trade with each other,build local markets, or foster a sense of unity between African countries. As long as this is the case it seems doubtful to me that there will be any significant change in what is happening on that continent...

quote:

I understand the Belgian Congo had quite a well developed infrastructure, particularly of high ways., built by the Colonials.

quote:

The Belgians provided nothing other than the minimum infrastructure necessary to support the extraction of the country’s vast mineral wealth, setting a pattern which has dominated this benighted country ever since. In 1925, under a mandate from the League of Nations (the precursor of the UN), the territories of Rwanda and Urundi (now Burundi) were incorporated into the Belgian Congo. (Both subsequently became separate countries.) After the end of World War II, the Belgian Congo was another African colony whose occupiers were concerned simply to dispose of it with minimum fuss and maximum commercial advantage. The Belgian Congo was duly granted independence, with minimal preparation, in 1960.

quote:

Dont forget that the African "elites" are complicit in and gain from this exploitation.

quote:

Despite the country's vast potential, under the Mobutu regime widespread corruption, economic controls, and the diversion of public resources for personal gain thwarted economic growth. The unrecorded and illicit transactions of Zaire's unofficial economy were estimated in the early 1990s to be three times the size of official GDP.
The Congo's record with multilateral and bilateral donors has been uneven. Despite a succession of economic plans financed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since independence, budgetary imbalance, inflation, and debt consistently plagued the Mobutu government. In early 1990, both the World Bank and the IMF suspended most disbursements, and most bilateral aid was cut off. Unable to make debt payments, Zaire's borrowing rights with the IMF were cut off in February 1992; its World Bank credits were frozen in July 1993. Despite the introduction of a new currency, the New Zaire (NZ), currency issuance remained disorderly, and largescale inflation rose to over 9,000% by early 1994.

quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

We had a short documentary on the TV tonight about the Chinese in Africa (Channel 4 1835hrs). The Chinese have moved into a lot of African countries and set up business to access the mineral wealth of these countries to fuel China's growth.

The reporter was going on and on about the terrible working and living conditions of the African workers - basically how exploitative and uncaring the Chinese employers and merchants are, and how awful it all is. Sure, they did have terrible working and living conditions. Sure, they were being exploited. Sure it was awful.

But. What the Chinese were doing was no different to what western companies were doing at the same time in the same places. The working conditions, pay and exploitation under the Chinese were no different to the same conditions under the western companies.

But. The presence of the Chinese has brought extra work and extra prosperity to these countries - whilst we dont think a few dollars for the work counts as prosperity, its a heck of a lot better than the abject poverty these people would otherwise starve slowly to death on.

A thought struck me, that however bad these people's lives and countries are, the Chinese are actually doing a lot more for both than we in the west have ever done. What if the Chinese sort out Africa? What if they get the place moving forward, driven by their economic need for its resources, and driven by their need to have the place work properly?

What does that say about the west and our approach of selling them Mercedes Benz limousines, jet fighters and tanks on credit and then shipping them food aid because they cant afford the repayments for our unrequired luxury items? What does it mean for the future geopolitical scene?

E

quote:


When the Belgian Government took over the Congolese Administration from King Leopold II, the situation in the Congo improved dramatically. Economic and social changes transformed the Congo into a "model colony". Primary and high schools were built as well as hospitals, and many Congolese had access to them. Even the ethnic languages were taught at school, a rare occurrence in colonial education. Doctors and medics achieved great victories against the sleeping disease (they managed to eradicate the disease). There was a medic post in every village, and in bigger cities, people had access to well equipped hospitals. The Administration continued with the economic reforms with the construction of railways, ports, roads, mines, plantations, industrial areas, etc. In the 1950s, life expectancy was around 55 years (today it is 51). At the time, the Congo's gross national product was the highest in Africa.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanity

The Chinese are taking a shit on Africa, so you all chime in at the same time to talk smack about the West... how funny, and how predictable, and how sad - all at the same time

quote:

ORIGINAL: seeksfemslave

Left to the Natives these  raw materials would be worthless NO ?

quote:

ORIGINAL: BrutalDemon

quote:

ORIGINAL: seeksfemslave
Left to the Natives these  raw materials would be worthless NO ?

HUH?! What logic leads you to conclude that?

quote:

ORIGINAL: seeksfemslave

I understand the Belgian Congo had quite a well developed infrastructure, particularly of high ways., built by the Colonials.
Needless to say it all went "pouff" when the natives got control and ended up killing one another.