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WORLD NEWS Saturday 10 March 2018

China floods Africa with neeed dollars, stoking US concern

By JOSH LEDERMAN They say Chinese firms, un-
Associated Press like American ones, don't
DJIBOUTI (AP) — The new abide by anti-bribery laws,
electrified rail line snakes fueling Africa's pervasive
through the African des- problems with corruption.
ert, charting a course from And if countries run into fi-
a port along the Djibouti nancial trouble, they often
coast to Addis Ababa, the lose control over their own
capital of land-locked Ethi- infrastructure by defaulting
opia. to a lender that historically
The Chinese built the rail- has not always been forgiv-
way, and part of the port, ing. Some African countries
and the new military base now owe sums double that
next door. On the other of their annual economic
end of the line, Chinese output, the U.S. has said,
dollars financed Addis with most debt owed to
Ababa's new light rail, and China. In Djibouti, the debt
the new ring road system, totals roughly 84 percent
and the silver African Union of its GDP, Foreign Minister
headquarters that towers Mahamoud Ali Youssouf
over the city. acknowledged on Friday.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, "We are not that worried,"
America has noticed. In this photo provided by China's Xinhua News Agency people gather before a red banner written Youssouf said, standing
From Djibouti to Ethiopia, in English and Chinese set up for the opening ceremony of the African Union Conference Center in next to Tillerson as the top
Kenya to Egypt, the United Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Jan. 28, 2012. The sleek, green-and-white trains glide past the congest- U.S. diplomat visited the
ed, ragged streets of Addis Ababa along the city’s new light rail _ built and financed by China. The
States is sounding the alarm towering silver African Union headquarters here was built by China, too. So was the new ring road tiny coastal country. "No
that the Chinese money system around the city. And the new railway connecting landlocked Ethiopia to Djibouti. country can develop itself
flooding Africa comes with (Ding Haitao/Xinhua via AP) without having a strong in-
significant strings attached. frastructure. And China is,
The warnings carry distinct tation and intrusion on na- needed," U.S. Secretary the terms." from that perspective, a
neocolonial undertones: tions' basic sovereignty. of State Rex Tillerson said Those terms lead to deals very good partner." Thomas
With Beijing's astonishing "We are not in any way this week in the Ethiopian in which Chinese workers, Waldhauser, head of U.S.
investments in ports, roads attempting to keep Chi- capital. "However, we think not Africans, get the con- Africa Command, predict-
and railways, the U.S. says, nese investment dollars out it's important that African struction jobs, Tillerson and ed this week that “there will
come dependency, exploi- of Africa. They are badly countries carefully consider other U.S. officials warn. be more.”q

Kenya president and opposition leader agree to unify country

By TOM ODULA Western countries. "This is a the credit goes to the two differences," said Odinga, nya, East Africa's economic
JOSH LEDERMAN purely domestic initiative," leaders." after the talks. "These differ- hub that plays a key role in
Associated Press Odinga's spokesman, Den- U.N. Secretary-General An- ences are becoming too the Western-backed fight
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ke- nis Onyango, said. tonio Guterres sent former entrenched." against neighboring Soma-
nya's president and opposi- The Kenyan politicians' ini- Nigerian President Oluse- The fathers of Odinga and lia's Islamic extremists.
tion leader announced Fri- tiative to bring the country gun Obasanjo to Kenya in Kenyatta were allies in the For many observers, the
day they will work together together was welcomed January to try to mediate struggle for Kenya's inde- historical divisions between
to unite the country, which by U.S. Secretary of State the political crisis. pendence from British colo- the Kenyatta and Odinga
has been divided along Rex Tillerson, who arrived "We hope that our role nial rule and then became political dynasties and the
ethnic lines following last in Nairobi Friday to start a played a bit part even in political adversaries. Now ethnic groups they repre-
year's disputed elections. three-day visit. anything that moves in the the sons have extended sent cloud the promise of
President Uhuru Kenyatta "This is a very positive step right direction," Guterres the family rivalry, which Kenya's democracy.
and former Prime Minister in our view, and while we spokesman Stephane Du- starts with personal politics On Friday, President Ke-
Raila Odinga spoke after know addressing Kenya's jarric said Friday. and carries on to affect the nyatta said he and Odinga
holding discussions, the ethnic and political divi- Kenyatta and Odinga met country's ethnic allegianc- had reached an under-
first talks between the two sions will take some time publicly at a funeral service es. standing "that this country
since the elections sparked and effort, today both of where they shook hands The two men, who also of Kenya is greater than
widespread turmoil. these men showed great earlier this year, but did not faced off in a 2013 elec- any one individual. And
The Kenyan leaders agreed leadership in coming to- have talks. tion marred by opposition for this country to come to-
that their meeting was not gether," Tillerson said af- "The time has come for us allegations of vote-rigging, gether, leaders must come
the result of pressure from ter meeting Kenyatta. "All to confront and resolve our are vying for power in Ke- together."q