Afrika i ett stormaktsperspektiv
Postat den 18th September, 2024, 00:00 av Hubert Fromlet
Superpower activities in Africa
Recently, I published an article in Swedish on African challenges as a reaction on some articles in the Swedish academic journal Ekonomisk Debatt in its April number from 2024 (https://www.nationalekonomi.se/artikel/afrikas-handel-utmaningar-och-mojligheter/). Several authors put then a strong emphasis on all the increasing commercial opportunities that may be derived from the relatively new free trade agreement African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Sure, everybody should be happy about a hopefully improving trade future for Africa. However, African progress cannot be based on improved trade conditions alone. Better working institutions are – more or less – needed in all African countries which in any emerging market uses to be a long journey. But, better starting now than waiting another five or ten years.
Unfortunately, the EU and the U.S. have neglected the important continent of Africa in many respects for too long time, more lately even in the fight against covid and other diseases – but also when it comes to fruitful and friendly cooperation in the strategic fields of commodities, infrastructure and education.
Instead, China and Russia have recognized this Western neglect and strengthened more lately their positions considerably in quite a number of Sub-Saharan countries.
More about this in my above-mentioned article with the following link https://www.nationalekonomi.se/artikel/stor-geopolitik-afrikas-utveckling/.
Hubert Fromlet Affiliate Professor at the School of Business and Economics, Linnaeus University
Editorial board
Det här inlägget postades den September 18th, 2024, 00:00 och fylls under Africa Emerging markets, generally