France attempts to win over African friends by Zivka Deleva

France is trying to win over its economic influence on the black continent. Frightened that it loses the strategic markets from bigger forces like China, India, France is organizing a meeting of the 25-th annual France-Africa summit in the French Riviera city of Nice. More than 250 businessmen from Africa and the host country gathered to improve their business connections and to create better economic partnerships. On the summit are as well 40 African presidents.   And what an irony - which is a common thing to the foreign politics. This year, few former French colonies celebrate half a century anniversary.   The world criticized Sarkozy's politics toward African ! countries, that he didn't go on to improve the ties between the whole continent, but with one by one country. Sarkozy is not praising the former French politics of paternalism and dependency, and has promised to change that. But, the interest is mutual, as much as France needs African resources, that much poor African countries need common investments when it comes to technological ventures and capacities.    “For the African side, they should view it in terms of a genuine partnership, which is definitely one-sided. And, even investment in resource sector should be made wisely, most probably around joint ventures, transfer of technology, (and) it should be done in a transparent (way) and observing all the corporate governance rules,” Chief Executive Officer of the economic development program New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), Sudir Chukun said.  Pragmatism is what the two sides need. The biggest criticism concerning France on the A! frican issue, has been that the superpower is interested only ! in the n atural resources, and doesn't give a damn about the terrible human rights and the poverty.    The superpower China is the biggest investor in Africa and has given billions of dollars in the past decade, reaching to the raw materials.    

by Zivka Deleva for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

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