L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...

The West is suspicious and fearful of Chinese and to a lesser extent
Indian or other Third world (especially Muslim) countries’ aid
or other economic ties with Africa. USA and former colonial powers
regards such links as useful instruments for both short- and longterm
advancement of non-western interests, promoting bilateral economic
ties and dependence on rival advisers and equipment. Accusations
are often heard that such links also provide a cover for intelligence
activities among other conducts through scholarship programs,
which are regarded as a truly long-term "seeding" effort for
future subversion.
In addition, much of Chinese, Indian, Brazilian, Malaysian Taiwan,
Korean or even Vietnamese economic aid carries tangible economic
returns to the these rapidly developing countries, supplying
important commodities and some hard currency, thus indirectly undermining
competitive positions USA, Canada or EU countries in
the global economy.
In a structured form the perceived damage inflicted by the
“newcomers/rivals” upon the traditional positions and influence of
the First World economies in Africa may be described as follows:
– obtaining sources of strategic and other commodities. As
shown above, a significant share of China’s (other rival’s) requirements
in fuel, strategic metals, etc. is covered by imports from Africa;
– reducing possibilities of the Western alliance to command
global resources of fuel, minerals and transportation routes and facilities;
– increasing “newcomer’s’’ access to African governments and
societies through the provision of “rival” (Chinese, Indian, etc.) advisers,
doctors, and teachers in African countries. In countries,
which established closer relations with the competitors of the traditional
powers (e.g. Sudan, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, etc) ‘newcomers’
have achieved direct access to domestic policymakers, allowing
them to influence day-to-day operations of the economy and
to formulate/correct development plans;
– adding “rival”-trained personnel to the ranks of African elites
through academic scholarships. Since the late 1950s, more than
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