Looking to China for development support
Africa should pay close attention to the ongoing deliberations of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the country’s top political advisory body, and the National People’s Congress, the top legislature, according to a Kenyan academic.
Robert Obudho, a professor at the University of Nairobi’s Urban and Regional Planning Department, said the two sessions are increasingly important for Africa, as China plays ever-greater
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political, social and cultural roles on the continent. “China has done a great job in supporting Africa to develop its infrastructure, which had long hampered the continent’s economic growth,” he said.
The professor predicted that environmental conservation, global security and China’s growing international trade would likely top the agenda during this year’s meetings. “As industrialization takes place, countries have to grapple with pollution concerns, and China is already facing this, thus it has ideas to share with other developing countries about sustainability,” he said.
Going forward, Obudho believes China should help Africa to realize its agricultural potential, given the huge proportion of arable land on the continent that is currently being underutilized.
China feeds more than 20 percent of the world’s population using only 7 percent of the total arable land, according to World Bank statistics. Africa, on the other hand, has about a quarter of the world’s arable land, but generates only 10 percent of global agricultural output and depends on imports to feed its popula- tion. Obudho also expects China to help Africa manage its urbanization process, through building cities and constructing infrastructure in order to unclog urban centers.
The share of Africans living in urban areas is projected to grow from 36 percent in 2010 to 50 percent in 2030. This could lead to economic growth and poverty reduction, but could also bring increased inequality, urban poverty, and the proliferation of slums. The laws, policies, and actions needed to reap positive dividends from Africa’s urbanization are therefore critical in the continent’s transformation, Obudho said.