Ghanaian Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister Alhaji Mohamed Mumuni has dismissed criticisms that China is trying to re-colonise Africa with its increased interest in the economies of African countries.

China’s interest in Africa is a demonstration of strategic partnership, and a symbol of South-South co-operation, he told journalists here Wednesday. He is in Addis Ababa for the 18^th Ordinary Summit of the African Union (AU) which ended on Monday.

The summit was also attended by Jia Qinglin, the Chairman of the National Committee of the People’s Political Consultative Conference of China which had financed the new US$200 million headquarters complex and conference for the AU Commission in the Ethiopian capital.

China also promised to provide free 600 million Renminbi (about US$95.2 million) in aid to the AU over the next three years and add new dimensions to China-Africa relations. Beijing said it would work with the AU to improve the China-AU Strategic Dialogue and enhance co-operation in cross-border and cross-region infrastructure development in Africa.

Alhaji Mumuni said he shared the opinion of Chinese President Hu Jintao that the international community must view the development of Africa from the perspective of common destinies.

He said there were failures by Africa’s traditional development partners in the face of the current global economic crisis, and he advocated the need for Africa to look elsewhere for support and increase trade among countries of the Continent.

Source: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsindex.php?id=643584