Online Editor
During the first leg of her three-nation African tour, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said over the weekend in a visit to Zambia, that while America wants to expand trade with Africa by investing in the continent's people, Africa should be warned against a "new colonialism" as China increases its presence.
Noting China's massive investments and business interests in Africa, Clinton -- who reportedly commented in a television interview -- also gave her opinion on China's top-down command economy, stating that it was not a model for other developing nations.
Clinton -- the first secretary of state to visit Zambia since Henry Kissinger was there 35 years go to give a speech on the country's policy for southern Africa -- added that African leaders must ensure foreign projects are sustainable and benefit all their citizens, not only elites, according the Huffington Post (HP).
"It is easy, and we saw that during colonial times, it is easy to come in, take out natural resources, pay off leaders and leave," HP quoted Clinton as saying. "And when you leave, you don't leave much behind for the people who are there. We don't want to see a new colonialism in Africa." Clinton also said that the United States didn't want foreign governments and investors to fail in Africa, but they should also give back to the local communities, HP further reported.
"We want them to do well, but also we want them to do good," she said.
"We don't want them to undermine good governance, we don't want them to basically deal with just the top elites, and frankly too often pay for their concessions or their opportunities to invest."
According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), Zambia estimated that China invested $1 billion dollars there in 2010, which resulted in the creation of 15,000 jobs. AFP also reported that a deal with China's Zhougui Mining -- announced earlier this year -- promises another $5 billion dollars in investment over the next few years.
