India Must Tread Carefully in Africa

Since the mid-17th century, spurred by colonialism, Indians have crossed the Indian Ocean for jobs and trade in the nations of eastern and southern Africa. Yet once-isolated China quickly caught up during the past two decades, forming deep connections over commodities trading, economic development and political summits, explains James Lamont in the Financial Times,. During a May trip to Ethiopia and Tanzania, India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reminded Africa of its long-time connections with India, announcing loan and development projects targeting education, infrastructure and water supply. China’s trade with Africa, estimated at $75 billion, is more than double that of India’s, Lamont reports. He explains that China’s approach in Africa is more government-centered, while India’s private sector drives its African investments. Whether the aid source is Chinese or India, private or public, fast or measured, Africans fret about selfish motives of the donors and have to assess which development strategies best serve the continent. – YaleGlobal