A New Scramble Is On

Recently, politicians from fifty three African and twenty seven European countries gathered in Lisbon Portugal, to bury the old colonial relationships in favour of a modern and equal one. This get together came about because the Europeans were worried that they are losing both clout and trade to the Chinese. Europe has watched with shock and awe as resource hungry China is sweeping the African continent for oil and other minerals. On the other hand, the United States of America, with the establishment of the African Command, is dominating the security business on the continent. Lest we forget, the Indians and the Koreans are also on the move. One cannot forget what was said in June 1994 by the influential U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Lee Hamilton. He explained why Africa was of renewed interest to the United States of America: quote "Africa has the most economic potential of any region in the world. It has powerful rivers; it is rich in mineral resources; it has the most arable land for farming in the world". And therein lies the potential for scramble by others but also a golden opportunity for Africa to pick her friends who would do right by the people of the continent. We cannot allow ourselves to be exploited for nothing again!