Wednesday, August 25, 2010

"Africa needs to drive a harder bargain with China"

I'm quoted in Tolu Ogunlesi's CNN op-ed:
The next crucial question is this: What does Africa stand to lose? It is arguably the most important question of all, taking into consideration the fact that Africa's dealings with foreign partners have almost always left it worse off.

David Shinn, retired U.S. diplomat, and currently adjunct professor at The George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs told me that there are worries that "African countries may not be driving a hard enough bargain with China."

... Shinn aptly sums it up: "It is up to African countries to extract the maximum benefit from the relationship."