Don't be Mad at China

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you are aware that China is making moves on Africa like Jerome did Pam (from the TV show Martin). Due to its rapidly expanding economy, and its 1.3 billion people’s increasing consumption of resources such as oil, Africa in its weakened state has become the perfect “partner” for Chinese expansion. According to the Economist trade between China and Africa will double by 2010. But unlike Western imperialists, China is currently taking a “hands off” approach to African internal affairs. (The irony is that the long time communist country is behaving more in line with the Robert Smith laissez faire model of capitalism, than its descendents.) Therefore in their eyes there is no contradiction in doing business with a government like The Sudan (China currently comprises 70% of its exports), which at the very least epitomizes bad governance, as long as they benefit economically.

But believe it or not I’m not even mad at the Asian giant for its activities in Africa. I’m mad that the approximately 40 million people of African descent living in America did not beat them to the punch. Now this is an issue far too voluminous and dynamic to adequately address in a single blog entry, but a few key points need to be pointed out. Whether or not one subscribes to Pan African or African centered ideology, it does not discount the good economic and moral sense it makes to economically establish ourselves in our homeland (Yes it is your homeland). If considered a nation, African Americans would rank as the 11th most powerful consumer nation in the world, as we spend over $800 billion a year. African Americans are the most educated population of Africans in the world. African Americans live in a country where opportunities are plentiful. African Americans are potentially the most politically powerful group of Africans in the world. By virtue of being born in the U.S. African Americans have a responsibility.

It is an insult to the ancestors not to take advantage of our unique and advantageous position. Now we all know the historical, psychological, and sociological reasons for our present state, but maybe just maybe our salvation is in reconnecting to our place of origin. And maybe just maybe Africa’s salvation lies in reconnecting to its distant tribe. And no, I don’t just mean celebrating Kwanzaa, wearing a dashiki, sporting dreadlocks, reading Chinweizu, or taking a dance class. These are all good, but let us not confuse ourselves into thinking that these acts are anything more than complimentary aspects to our reconstruction.

It is no coincidence that African Americans were born with so much opportunity relative to Africans in other parts of the world. We can complain about our ghettos all day, but at least we have access to running water, our women aren’t being casually raped with rifle bayonets, our children don’t have to worry about being kidnapped to join a rebel army (please don’t try to compare it to gang recruitment), and our babies aren’t dying by the thousands of treatable ills such as diarrhea. Yes, we have it bad but not nearly as bad as our people in Bahia, Kingston, and Kinshasa.

With just a few practical measures, and investments we could not only benefit Africa and ourselves, but we would also begin to plant the seeds of reunification. Most our people our suffering insufferable hardships which constitute states of emergency, therefore our first strategic step should be to immediately engage ourselves in humanitarian relief activities, such as the donation medical and school supplies. Our energy and resources would initially be better utilized in a focused geographic area such as village or collection of villages in a region of a country with a stable government, progressive economic policies, as well as one welcoming to Diaspora Blacks (Ghana may be a good place to start). By initially focusing on a particular village or region, we will be develop a level of credibility and base of power and strength with our sisters and brothers, which can eventually be used as a headquarters for our expansion throughout the continent.

Once we have developed a relationship with our people via our humanitarian relief projects we can focus our energy on economic development activities. There is a plethora of simple yet powerfully effective economic develop projects already occurring that could have an immediate impact on improving the lives of our people. Many of these programs only need a boost from us to make a greater impact. These projects will provide not only economic relief to our people by providing them with self help opportunities, but also a psychological one as they can leave a state of despair and mere survival to one of planning and developing the next generations future. Supporting strengthening, innovating and some cases guiding existing African institutions and programs does not require all the money in the world, but could have immeasurable long term impacts. Once a thriving and sustainable economic sector is developed social development programs such as the building of state of the art primary and vocational schools will more easily be accomplished.

For more practical ideas on the economic development of Africa check out: http://www.timbuktuchronicles.blogspot.com/