The Impact of China on the African Renaissance: Let the Baobab Grow…

Abstract

In this chapter, we emphasise the notion that the thinking about growth and development in Africa should include organic growth. Africa is not a country but a continent with 52 different countries, each with a unique cultural and historical context, resource and asset base, as well as economic and welfare structures. Achieving the goals of an ‘African Renaissance’, therefore, needs to be specifically defined in terms of the individual context of the country, rather than in generic terms for the continent. In this sense, the African renaissance for a diversified country such as South Africa, with its own particular cultural and historical history, will have a different meaning than, for example, a transitional economy such as Cameroon. This chapter summarises the main findings of this book, namely that China is overall contributing to the development and organic growth of African countries with which they actively engage. It was further found that China sometimes finds it difficult to balance the impact of its direct engagements with the indirect effects and consequences on those countries. Chinese and African governments have finally a combined responsibility to ensure that the situation will be a ‘win-win’ relationship which directly contributes to the organic growth process of the country.