Posts tagged africa

blackisbeautiful:

Mariana van Zeller (via Chinatown, Africa // Current)

“In “Chinatown, Africa”, Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Angola to investigate China’s rapidly growing presence in Africa. While many welcome China’s investment, others see reason for concern. Chinatown, Africa is revealing look at a growing superpower’s adventures abroad.”

I hope you can watch this video and see the exciting pros and tragic cons of China’s influence in Africa particularly in a country like Angola, which represents a large percentage of China’s investments. Not without reason, of course, Angola is rich in raw materials that China desperately needs. One factor in particular stood out, for me. For decades infrastructure has been the missing link in development and relations with the West, but in months the Chinese are able to bridge the gap (roads connecting the interior to major cities, hospitals, schools, etc.). The problem, however, is that they do so with Chinese labor and Chinese machinery. Ironically the raw materials for those machines come from Africa but are not made there because many (Western and Eastern) trade policies restrict African countries from manufacturing and producing such goods. This video highlights the cost of with doing business with China, especially in a places like Angola where resources, poverty and opportunity are plentiful. -Mz. Report

Mz. Report, couldn’t have said it better.

One day Chimamanda Adichie & I will go on a date but until then I’ll go devour a copy of “The Thing Around Your Neck” and reminisce on the one time I got to hang out with her.