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Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

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Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#151

Post by baby »

FakeComments wrote: post #145
ejanus wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am an African and I live in West Africa. I think China is doing great job for the continent and it is helping Africa upgrade her infrastructure. But we Africans should know that sustainable development and transfer of technology cannot come if we fail to build our own indigenous peoples and companies. Nobody is father Christmas, everybody is there to maximize his gains. So , we Africans should wake up and take our…

So, I’m American. And honestly, you have every reason to tell me to fuck off and more besides. And I’m not Father Christmas, if you make a deal with me, I expect something in exchange. But what can we do for people in Africa?

Make America realize that helping other countries will benefit the world including the US in the long run.

Or convince America that there is a whole continent that could become a powerful ally to the US when it will economically boom.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#152

Post by NicoJuicy »

dragandj wrote: post #132
SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Better infrastructure doesn't help the local economy?

Not so much if the local economy is not developed enough to be able to utilize it.

Short answer, but to the point.

These prestigious projects go broke without customers. The Chinese just gain control of the "strategic" location.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#153

Post by jnurmine »

kolikotime wrote: post #63

West African American here (Ghanaian - American). This article actually isn't true, while the Kenyan Chinese pact that led to the construction of the Nairobi - Mombasa Port does have clauses related to penalties around lack of payment, there has been no actual announcement or any signs of China declaring possession of the Mombasa Port. In fact, the big issue in Mombasa right now is actually revolving around a Kenyan…

Are you seriously claiming that the French (and/or EU) somehow orchestrated the Libyan civil war?

Offtopic: You joined yesterday and have gained 160+ points already with only 7 comments. That is very impressive!

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#155

Post by SubiculumCode »

sah2ed wrote: post #136
niyikiza wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm an African myself, but while Chinese model is different from the aid model we are familiar with, it's helping solve so many problems that we had no alternatives for. China is willing to come in with loans without political strings attached. Yes, there are collaterals but Africa has its own negotiators too, and we know the deal we get is much better than any other country or institution would be willing to give.

To further butress DanielBMarkham's excellent comment below, here is a HN discussion [0] from early this year where China gave Africa a no strings attached helping hand that turned out to be "Greek gift" where they snoop on all communications. 0: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16272033

Let those countries then talk about Burma and declare Taiwan a free and democratic State.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#157

Post by ethbro »

kolikotime wrote: post #133
realusername wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> While we can debate the relative merits and demerits of the CFA, it is still quite very strange and quite frankly colonial that the arrangement continues. It continues because it's becoming an African euro-zone, having the same currency is invaluable. Especially that the African currencies don't have a reputation for stability. It's not a coincidence Mali & Guinea left and then came back in. > Lastly, one just has…

West Africa, the region with the most greatest number of Francophone states and influence is largely the poorest African region(some like to argue Central Africa, but people debate its composition and shape more readily than West Africa). My experiences in the region often reveal great resentment with the nature of French involvement within their political economy. Now you may disagree with that and think its all hun…

> And we definitely felt sorry for Ivory Coast when French special forces busted into their presidential palace to resolve a domestic electoral dispute.

You're referring to French forces arresting Laurent Gbagbo when he refused to cede power after losing the 2010 election?

Allowing his winning opponent to assume the presidency? Extraditing Gbagbo to stand trial at ICC in The Hague? Where there's a chance he might be acquitted of the crimes against humanity he's charged with for formenting election violence that killed 1,400+ people?

As far as terrible abuses of colonial power, enabling the transition to a democratically elected government and trying the former leader in a fair court of law (where he stands a chance of defending himself) isn't the best example.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#158

Post by supergirl »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #72
curiousgal wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah, of course, the U.S. is the leader of standing up for the little guy. The entire West has taken advantage out of African nations but God forbid someone else tries to do that now.

> The entire West has taken advantage out of African nations but God forbid someone else tries to do that now. As an American citizen, yes. We're not perfect by any means, but we're no authoritarian regime such that China has.

> The entire West has taken advantage out of African nations

> we're not perfect

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#159

Post by xiii1408 »

Mods should, at the very least, change the title, since it is very misleading.

There is language in the deal that would give China control over the port if Kenya was unable to pay back the loan. While concerning, this is very different from that actually happening.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#160

Post by fatjokes »

kolikotime wrote: post #63

West African American here (Ghanaian - American). This article actually isn't true, while the Kenyan Chinese pact that led to the construction of the Nairobi - Mombasa Port does have clauses related to penalties around lack of payment, there has been no actual announcement or any signs of China declaring possession of the Mombasa Port. In fact, the big issue in Mombasa right now is actually revolving around a Kenyan…

The echo chamber you mention doesn't simply exist here in the comments section, it's basically a narrative that's currently being pushed by the western media. I suspect at least a small part of it is motivated by guilt over European colonialism. This lets them say "See! the Chinese are worse!"

No doubt this comment will earn me an accusation of being a Chinese gov't shill as well.

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