Chinese dream resonates African dream: former UN official

A former senior UN official said recently that the "Chinese dream" proposed by President Xi Jinping resonates with the dream of Africa as China and Africa can achieve common development through common efforts.

Asha-Rose Migiro, a former UN deputy secretary-general, made the remarks in her keynote speech at a conference held at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

She said that the "Chinese dream" has received immense appeal in Africa as it conjures a vision of collective achievement and espouses the same objectives that the continent is striving to reach: poverty alleviation, economic growth, and attainment of sustainable development.

Migiro said that a win-win partnership between China and Africa could unleash the continent's economic potentials.

"China has become an important export destination for Africa and its rising domestic consumption bodes well for the continent as it could sustain demand for African exports," said the former UN official.

She added that Africa also stands to benefit significantly from the increased trade relations with China as a gateway to other Asian markets.

Meanwhile, Migiro noted that Africa is a land of strategic opportunities for those who are keenly interested in forging win-win partnerships, rather than a scene of what has been often referred to as "destination for natural resource exploitation" for foreign investors.

She pointed out that strategic cooperation will demystify the claim that the increased engagement of emerging economies, such as the BRICS, in Africa is driven by the continent's natural resources.

Citing fresh data released by UN Conference on Trade and Development, Migiro said that only a meager of 10 percent of the value of foreign direct investment projects in Africa by BRICS countries were channeled to natural resources from 2003 to 2012 while 75 percent were in manufacturing and services.

"Some of the African countries which are relatively least endowed with natural resources are the major beneficiaries of Chinese investments and trade relations," she noted.

Under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation that is based on principles of equality, mutual trust, win-win cooperation and two-way cultural exchanges, China-Africa relationship will be equitable and sustainable in its long-term cumulative effect, she said.