China's Health and Security Role in Africa

China goes beyond trade and investment in Africa, contributing to the continent's health and security.

China's role as a trading partner and investor in Africa has become renowned in the last decade, and China's business activities in Africa are often closely tied up with the aid that it provides to 48 countries in the form of concessional loans and grants, which are primarily targeted at infrastructure. Yet this is not all that China does in Africa. Chinese medical teams have been present on the continent ever since they were first sent to Algeria in 1963, and in the latter decades, the medical aid team program has expanded in step with China's increasing diplomatic engagement with Africa. By the end of 2009, China had financed the building of 54 hospitals in Africa, as well as pharmaceutical factories in Mali, Tanzania and Ethiopia. This trend has only strengthened in recent year as Chinese medical practitioners have proliferated in towns and cities across Africa.

At the 2006 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit, China pledged to provide Africa with $37.5 million worth of the anti-malarial drug artemisinin, and to build 30 malarial prevention and treatment centers. In 2008, China announced it would train 1,000 doctors, nurses and managers in the health sector in 30 African countries where China was building new hospitals. At the 2009 FOCAC summit, China's health aid commitment was upgraded to $73.2 million, and the training program expanded to 3,000 doctors and nurses.

In a report published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on this topic, China's Emerging Global Health and Foreign Aid Engagement in Africa, China-Africa expert Deborah Brautigam estimated that, over a period of six years (2007-12), China's health-related aid to Africa reaches at least $80 million per year.

Security is another area where China has increased its contribution in Africa. The first deployment of Chinese civilian observers on UN peace missions in Africa occurred in Namibia in 1989, and by July 2010, 2,013 Chinese peacekeepers were serving on nine of the 15 UN peacekeeping operations around the world, with 1,622 of these serving in Africa. Chinese peacekeepers in Africa typically hold positions as military observers or civilian police, or provide infrastructure, medical, logistical and transport support. In Africa, China has sent peacekeepers to Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Liberia, the DRC, Cote d'Ivoire, Burundi, Sudan, Western Sahara, Ethiopia and Eritrea. In short, China's relationship with Africa is not simply about trade and investment.

The ChinAfrica Econometer is produced by The Beijing Axis, a cross-border business bridge to/from China in four principal areas: Commodities, Capital, Procurement, & Strategy.

For more information, please contact: Barry van Wyk, barryvanwyk@thebeijingaxis.com

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