Review with pictures

One of the most important economic developments in recent years has been the rapid emergence of China as a world economic power. Together with Brazil, Russia and India, China has been among the fastest growing economies in the world: the so-called BRIC countries. Currently contributing 40% to world GDP, a rate that is expected to grow further in the oncoming years, these countries indeed bring about significant changes in the world economy.

One of the fields in which their impact is largely felt is development cooperation. Although ‘the West’, the European countries in particular, had long set the agenda in Africa alone, China and increasingly India, as well as other emerging countries are also setting foot on the African continent, becoming players that can no longer be overlooked. With its distinctive approach China has already played an important part in altering some of the prevailing practices and parameters in development assistance. Therewith posing a challenge for the EU.

It is exactly this challenge that the EU currently faces in the field of development cooperation that is central to this debate. With Arend Jan Boekestijn, former Member of the Dutch Parliament (Liberals), author of ‘De prijs van een slecht geweten. waarom hulp in haar huidige vorm niet werkt’

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Mrs. Hannah Edinger, Senior Manager & Head of Research, Frontier Advisory, a leading research and strategy company focusing on emerging markets, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Frontier Advisory and Gordon Institute of Business Science (under the University of Pretoria) launched in January 2010 the China Africa Network.

Hannah Edinger will be in The Netherlands on invitation of the Dutch Chamber of Society of International Development.