News / Africa
'No one has the monopoly on who Africa should relate with' - AU
22 Jan 2013 at 12:53hrs | Views
Addis Ababa - The African Union Commission Chief of Staff, Ambassador Jean Baptiste Napata says no individual or continent has the right to determine friends for the continent.
This comes after concerns by the western media and other critics who have questioned the continent's relations with China.
Responding to questions from journalists in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ambassador Napata said the same individuals and continents querying Africa's relations with China recognise that the Asian country is fast becoming an economic power house.
He said, "No one has the monopoly on who Africa should relate with and it is up to Africa to decide who they want to enter into partnership with."
He also noted that for Africa to stop the cycle of poverty, it should process it natural resources into finished products and desist from the current scenario whereby it exports raw materials and then imports finished products a t higher price.
The partnerships between China and Africa are mutually beneficial, with the Asian country providing technical knowledge to locals in various projects.
Zimbabwe has benefited from its relations with China which has seen the construction of a hotel in the capital, while the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation will soon receive a state-of-the-art outside broadcast van just a mention projects by the Asian country.
In Ethiopia, many hotel construction projects are led by the Chinese and the African Union Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa was built by the Chinese, among many other projects.
This comes after concerns by the western media and other critics who have questioned the continent's relations with China.
Responding to questions from journalists in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ambassador Napata said the same individuals and continents querying Africa's relations with China recognise that the Asian country is fast becoming an economic power house.
He said, "No one has the monopoly on who Africa should relate with and it is up to Africa to decide who they want to enter into partnership with."
The partnerships between China and Africa are mutually beneficial, with the Asian country providing technical knowledge to locals in various projects.
Zimbabwe has benefited from its relations with China which has seen the construction of a hotel in the capital, while the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation will soon receive a state-of-the-art outside broadcast van just a mention projects by the Asian country.
In Ethiopia, many hotel construction projects are led by the Chinese and the African Union Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa was built by the Chinese, among many other projects.
Source - zbc
