China Helps the Powerful in Namibia

The daughter of Namibia’s president, Hifikepunye Pohamba is studying at the Beijing Culture and Language University under a scholarship provided by the Chinese government. Several other scholarships have also been awarded this year, and only to the children of top Namibian officials. With national elections drawing near Namibia’s anticorruption commission has begun an inquiry into how the scholarships were awarded. Criticism centers on how only the privileged government officials knew of the scholarships, while the vast majority of Namibia’s high school graduates never make it to college. Some accuse China of using such soft power strategies as loans that must be repaid through no-bid contracts and elite alliances. Other China-Namibia deals are also under investigation. Wen Jiabao, the Chinese prime minster, has spoken against accusations that China is only after Africa’s natural resources, emphasizing instead Chinese plans to continue to aid African development. But as to the scholarships awarded in Namibia, China has yet to give an explanation. – YaleGlobal