Securing Vital Advantage in a Resource-Constrained World

I've written a number of posts highlighting China's worldwide scramble for arable land, energy, and other resources -- including Not Much Fruit for the Picking? "The Tectonic Shift," "A Hunger for Food Security," and "Not the Only Development That Matters" -- but it is worth noting that the world's most populous nation isn't the only emerging power looking to secure vital advantage in a resource-constrained world, as Reuters' MacroScope blog notes in "Why the BRICS like Africa":

There is little doubt that the BRICs — Brazil, Russia, India and China — have become big players in Africa. According to Standard Bank of South Africa, BRIC trade with the continent has snowballed from just $16 billion in 2000 to $157 billion last year. That is a 33 percent compounded annual growth rate.

What is behind this? At one level, the BRICs, as they grow, are clearly recognising commercial and strategic opportunities in Africa. But Standard Bank reckons other, more individual, drivers are also at play.

In a new report, the bank looks at what each of the individual BRIC countries is trying to do. To whit:

– Brazil’s immediate intererest in Africa is securing access to natural resources, particularly oil. But is also motivated by a desire to create a new “Southern Axis” with itself at the forefront.

– Russia is also interested in Africa’s natural resources. But it faces a problem because of the sullied reputation of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. So Moscow has also embarked on a rebranding programme within the continent by ramping up its aid programmes.

– India is attracted to Africa in part because of long historic ties. Commercial engagement, however, is also motivated by a need to guarantee the natural resources it needs for its own growth. Furthermore Africa is seen politically as a key ally in the pursuit of a competitive advantage over its Asian competitor China.

– For China, Africa provides a long-term partner in its ongoing bid to gain global economic ascendancy, providing it with the resources, markets, geopolitical support, and, eventually, food and social security in the form of a growing and engaging diaspora.

A full copy of Standard Bank’s report, which was written by Simon Freemantle and Jeremy Stevens, can be found here.

Comments

[IntenselyRelaxed]

China to buy old rock stars: http://www.thecrunchtimes.co.uk/html/090630chineserocks.html

[steve from virginia]

The idea of colonialism dies hard, doesn't it? Oh, what desperate times we live in, for such an idea to be grasped so dearly!

Maybe the Chinese and the Russians should look at the histories of the French, Belgian, German and British 'conquistadors' to find out their fates in these African countries.

Okay, they arrive with dollars rather than rifles, but the rifles and whatnot will arrive soon enough. Then, there is the more current example - Nigeria. The only thing that is assured is that this experiment will end badly.