Chinse President XI Jinping while addressing African leaders gathering in China during the China Africa Summit (FOCAC) noted that “The friendship between China and Africa transcends time and space, surmounts mountains and oceans and passes down through generations”. To illustrate that commitment, the president announced more than $ 50 billion in financial support and aid over the next three years to the continent. The main problem that has derailed African development is the widespread incidences of poverty. African leaders can learn from President Xi who implemented an ambitious Targeted Poverty Alleviation (TPA) programme from 2014 and was successful by 2021 when he announced total success on the war against poverty. TPA can be summarized by the slogan “one income, two assurances, and three guarantees” – poverty is multidimensional issue. To be free of poverty, affected people in China had to meet five indicators beyond income: the “two assurances” of food and clothing and the “three guarantees” of basic medical services, safe housing with drinking water and electricity, and free and compulsory education. TPA programme developed five core methods to lift people out of poverty: industry, relocation, ecological compensation, education, and social assistance.
There is a need for the re-awakening of the African Renaissance, an ideology which holds that one day, the African people shall overcome current challenges that impede their growth and development, and achieve cultural, scientific and economic revival and growth. There are many reasons why we should believe in the potential for Africa to grow and become a super continent. First, Africa land mass is 30.32 million km2, and 8000 km from North to South and 7400 km2 from East to West, is bigger by far than Europe (10.53 million km2), China (9.597 million km2) and USA (9.834 million km2) combined. This provides land, soils and space upon which agriculture, industrialization, and manufacturing can be undertaken, bearing in mind that Africa has 60 percent of all global available arable land.
Secondly, Africa holds 90 percent of all available global raw materials reserves in all sectors, in addition, it has a high potential and presence of minerals needed for manufacturing and industrialization, including transition minerals. It has 40 percent of global gold reserve, 33 percent of diamond reserve, 80 percent of Coltan reserve – mineral key in electronics and telephone manufacturing, 60 percent of Cobalt reserve – mineral used in battery manufacturing. Africa is rich in oil, natural gas, Iron ore, Manganese and wood to support manufacturing and industrialization. Thirdly, African population, mostly young people, is 1.432 billion people in 2023, while Chinese one is 1.455 billion, and by 2050, African young population will hit 2.5 billion people, implying that Africa is the continent of the future. Dr Giti is an urban management, public – private partnerships (PPP) and environment specialist. mutegigiti@gmail.com , @danielgiti
Dr. Daniel Mutegi Giti 