Analysts say China and Russia are bolstering their presence in Africa to tap its rich natural resources, amid grave warnings from UN agencies the world’s poorest countries face accumulating crippling debts.
“One out of every three major infrastructure projects in Africa is built by Chinese state-owned enterprises, and one out of every five is financed by a Chinese policy bank,” said Paul Nantulya of the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies, an academic institution within the US Department of Defence.
“Russia, a key arms exporter to Africa, is also making forays into the continent through mining projects granted to the Wagner private paramilitary group,” Nantulya said.
At a UN-sponsored summit in Qatar of the Least Developed Countries this month, leaders condemned the treatment of their nations.
After Western countries reduced their infrastructure financing, it created a void that China and Russia stepped in to fill.
Source : The East African
