“In western Africa almost everything was controlled by French monopolies. Now China is taking their place. This is good because it makes the whole situation more dynamic and more infrastructures are now being built. This is something we need very much”. Journalist Ndiawar Soumare from Senegal said during the interview made over the phone by Africanews.it
Soumare is the administrator of www.africatime.com, a news dedicated website about Africa from an original perspective, bypassing big news agencies.
What do you think about the recent agreement between Libya and Italy?
I think this is a very good news. If Italy take such a step forward, it means they recognized that there has been something not so good in the colonial past. This will surely help establishing better relationships. It’s not much a problem of money. This is not the most important side. What’s more important is the acknoledgement of the wrong doing of the past. This is what many African countries ask to France since many years. But at every moment they do this, France refuse what they ask. I don’t think this is something bad. It is useful.
What’s your point of view on the increasing investments made by Chinese companies?
It’s important because Chinese companies are the only ones who are building here. Recently I have been in central Africa and I found only one new building. It was a stadium made by Chinese. This means that they do something. Here, in West Africa, they are building many roads and motorways. These are things we need very
much. If China comes here and build something that last, I say ‘why not’? We’ve got French monopolies for many years. Now Chinese companies are occupying new spaces little by little. They are disturbed by this. But for Africa this is better. The situation is more dynamic.
Photos by: jagosaurus and mifl68
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