The rise of China and India in Africa: challenges, opportunities and critical interventions, edited by Fantu Cheru and Cyril Obi, London and New York, Zed Books, 2010, 276 pp., £21.99 (paperback), ISBN 9781848134379
Offering an innovative synthesis of the literature on the growing presence of these two emerging Asian economic powerhouses on the African continent, The rise of China and India in Africa is a volume that is most welcome. Edited by Fantu Cheru and Cyril Obi from the Nordic Africa Institute, its 17 chapters display a great diversity of theoretical perspectives and a plurality of disciplinary backgrounds, with researchers from International Relations, Development Studies and Foreign Policy Studies, as well as South Asian, African (mostly South African) or Chinese studies. Authors are attached to institutions located in a wide scope of countries, many located within the areas here under scrutiny.
The volume is divided into six sections. part one offers an overview, a ‘big picture’ of the issues and challenges at stake; part two gives historical insights about the Indian and Chinese presence in the African continent; part three focuses on the recent economic growth surge of both nations in Africa; part four attempts the difficult task of balancing the development initiatives of both countries with conflict-ridden local situations; part five gives well deserved attention to issues surrounding the quest for resources (especially oil) on the African continent; part six concludes with a chapter about role of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in countering ‘new imperialism’. While the scope of issues addressed is quite extensive, some themes are recurring and deserve particular attention.
First, many chapters highlight the fact that in the era of the post-Washington Consensus, the opportunities provided by the growing presence of China and India in Africa are more obvious than ever. The rise of a multi-polar global order in which emerging countries (especially Brazil, Russia, India and China) are called upon to play a greater role appears as the framework for new tactical opportunities and strategic alternatives for African countries. In order to turn such a diversification of trade opportunities into concrete benefits for African societies, various contributors pinpoint the need for enhanced continental unity as the main challenge facing African countries. In short, if ‘the rise of China and India is both a threat and an opportunity for Africa’ (p. 97), African countries must join forces in order to make the best of the emerging scenario. Only a united Africa can really take advantage of the opportunities offered by the new global economy to increase its level of independence toward the West. Contributors nevertheless note that such a shift towards greater continental integration is unfortunately not yet obvious, most countries preferring to deal on an individual basis with either China or India. Another recurring issue is the fact that both China and India tend to avoid the aid discourse traditionally associated with the Western presence on the continent. They rather use the idiom of South–South cooperation, referring to solidarity in terms of win–win partnerships between emerging nations. Clearly, China and India try to stay away from any paternalistic labelling.
China's growing influence in Africa is certainly the object of the most contrasted positions among the contributors. While some argue against the triumphant picture of China's engagement with Africa, others highlight the fact that such criticisms may well be informed by the apprehension of the major powers at having to face up to new powerful competitors. What seems quite obvious is that China's involvement in Africa is not homogeneous; rather, it is ambiguous and problematic on many accounts. Chinese enterprises show great flexibility in building policies specific to each country's needs while fulfilling China's high expectations, mainly in terms of natural resources. While the breakthrough of Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in many sectors of the African economy is buttressed by massive financial support from the Chinese state, India's rise as a trade partner in Africa is mainly driven by the private sector. If such a growth still has very little to do with the intensity of China's incursion within the continent, India's presence in Africa is long standing and its lately accelerated economic involvement is clearly just a beginning. The India–Africa Summit held in April 2008 is representative of India's will to establish an enduring economic and political relationship with Africa. India emphasises its long-standing tradition of cooperation with Africa and is clearly stating a renewed intention to bring these relations to the next level. While authors emphasise the gap between China and India in terms of their actual capacity to invest in Africa, to reach for resources and play a major role at the developmental level, many think that in the long run India will have the comparative advantage over China: ‘its strong diaspora community on the ground in Africa, its proximity to the continent, its first-class educational system and its enduring democratic tradition will all make it more competitive than China’ (p. 4). India clearly tries to find its own way to do business in Africa, mixing its development strategy with broader economic and geopolitical ambitions while underlining its will to emphasise capacity-building expertise (in areas such as information and communication technologies [ICTs], health, and education) over a mere quest for natural resources.
In many respects, the growing presence of India and China in Africa reflects local dissatisfaction with years of structural adjustment policies and a global economic system considered to be unfair. The effects of such a growth are only beginning to show but it is already obvious that if the emerging world order is to bring any substantial benefit to the African economy as a whole, change will first of all have to come from within African governments and civil society. The impact of China's presence (often described as either disastrous or a blessing) has been the object of a lot of attention in recent years, while scholarship on India's African venture is still in early stages as it remains difficult to gauge its potential benefits and dangers. This book is an important step in this direction and should be of interest to scholars and students in fields such as International Development, Economics, Political Science, Sociology and Anthropology.