Interview: "China's involvement in Africa's infrastructure development has fundamental, transformative impact": Ethiopian PM

By Fei Liena, Xiong Sihao

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 28 (Chinese media) -- Ethiopian Prime

Minister Meles Zenawi emphasized here on Wednesday the importance of

infrastructure to Africa's economic development, and hailed China's "fundamental

and transformative" involvement in the continent's infrastructure building.

File photo of Ethiopian Prime Minister

Meles Zenawi.(Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
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During an exclusive interview with Chinese media, the

Ethiopian head of state said that infrastructure development is critical for

Africa's economic development, as every economic sector needs infrastructure to

develop. Without proper infrastructure, for example, the transport of raw

materials, products, and fertilizers will be greatly restricted, he said.

However, over the past 20 to 30 years, Africa's focus

has been on the development of communication and education, infrastructure has

been neglected and constrained by a lack of finance, that's why China's

involvement in Africa's infrastructure building "has had fundamental and

transformative impact", said the prime minister.

"Chinese companies have the ability to do quality

work, do it in time, and with competitive prices," said Meles: "They have

penetrated the African market in general, and the Ethiopian market in

particular. And this has made a major impact on Africa's implementation of

infrastructure projects."

The Chinese government and banks have provided

billions of U.S. dollars worth of loans for the infrastructure projects in

Ethiopia, said he, including 1.5 billion dollars in telecommunications and

nearly one billion in other infrastructure projects. He also believes similar

scale of loans are provided by China to other African countries.

"The mobilization of resource of the Chinese

government and banks has been huge," Meles said.

The African Union conference center that China is

building for the Ethiopian government will be a landmark building for the

capital city and the country once it's finished. It will also solve the problem

of lacking offices and space for work and meetings for the organization,

according to him.

"The center will be an important symbol for the

fast-growing relations between Africa and China," he added.

Currently, Ethiopia's infrastructure programs mainly

focus on two issues: capacity building and resource mobilization. The government

is trying to build up local capacity for infrastructure design and construction,

while mobilizing domestic and foreign resources for its infrastructure

development, according to the prime minister.

When talking about the current global economic

crisis, Meles said that the crisis might facilitate the process of linking

Africa more closely to emerging markets, such as China, India and Brazil.

"In the past, we are almost linked exclusively to

developed countries in Europe, now we are more related to developing markets,"

he said. "It's a basic trend, and a healthy process of development for the

continent."

Meles thinks Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's recent

remarks of not to reduce assistance to Africa despite China being hit by the

global economic crisis as a reflection of the quality of relationship between

Africa and China.

"It's important for the relationship to be

predictable," said Meles. "To maintain the level of investment (to Africa) in

the financial crisis of course reflects the quality of relationship."

The Ethiopian head of state also expressed high hopes

to the coming African Union Summit. Besides infrastructure development, the

summit will also discuss the African consolidation, the global economic crisis,

and tackle the security challenges on the continent, Meles said.