Africa has reached a stage of looking at the world and decide what her place on the global market should be. Though organisations like the Commonwealth and the Francophonie are still perpetuating the colonialistic traces, Africa is, at last, managing to say ‘NO’ to Europe, namely with regards to the EPAs.

You cannot build strong business and economic partnerships without looking back to the past. From past errors, you learn and build a better future. In one of my previous postings, I praised president Sarkozy for denouncing and condemning his predecessor’s colonialistic behaviour that emptied Africa of her economic potentialities.

If the predecessors wrong, should Africa forget even when no compensation has been paid so far? China has no negative past with Africa. Those who have a negative past with the continent are afraid because Africa has finally found an alternative. African leaders have started considering and applying the rules and principles governing the global market, namely “ the one who offers more, gets more”.

In this respect and as illustration, a Chinese company has just signed a 243 Euro deal with Zambia to build dams on the Zambeze river.( http://www.tv5.org/TV5Sit...hp?edition=20071122&par=7 ) The former British colony is confronted with acute power problems and thanks to Chinese investments, the population will enhance their living standards.

I hope the next stage in the Chinese strategy would be opening their country’s doors to African businessmen and immigrants. Europe has closed her own, though the so-called EU blue card on the US-green card model is under consideration – so, China, as an alternative, should let African contribute and benefit from their economic boom.