“Advancing Our Understanding of the impact of the Growing Engagement with Africa of China and India”: opening remarks by Abdoulie Janneh UN under secretary general and executive secretary

Abstract

This opening remarks delivered by Abdoulie Janneh UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary at the Joint ECA/AERC Workshop on The Asian Drivers “Advancing Our Understanding of the impact of the Growing Engagement with Africa of China and India”. Mr. Janneh, on his remarks highlighted that, the workshop, whose focus is of critical importance for our region, comes at a very opportune moment. First, as some of you know, the African Union (AU) at its last Summit in Banjul, the Gambia, requested that key regional research institutions, including ECA, should undertake research on the opportunities and challenges that China and India – Asia’s two emerging global giants - present to Africa. India has had a policy of economic relations with Africa – built on a common colonial heritage - that dates back several decades. India has recently been collaborating with African countries primarily in the areas of ICT and pharmaceuticals. An opportunity for diversifying our options, deepening South-South Cooperation and regional integration. There is now a multi-sided dynamic to Africa’s development with key actors in the US, Western Europe, Asia and South America.