Africa needs non-traditional partners like Vietnam

The Africa Report page on April 18 has an article analyzing why Africa needs non-traditional partners like Vietnam. The article said that much of Africa has been receiving North-South development cooperation, where Western donors and multilateral organizations provide aid and technical assistance to countries on the continent. black earth. This form of cooperation is fruitful, but more is needed to change the continent.

China has come to Africa with its Belt and Road initiative. While North-South relations and China’s influence will continue to be an important part of development cooperation for Africa, leaders on the continent are increasingly looking for more relations with each other. Horizontal cooperation based on equality, trust and common prosperity. What Vietnam has achieved in the past 30 years, and of course will achieve in the future, makes Vietnam a good candidate for low- and middle-income countries in Africa to cooperate for the sake of mutual benefit. common prosperity.

An example of Vietnam’s development

According to the article, Vietnam’s impressive economic growth rate in the past three decades is second only to China. In 1985, Vietnam had an economic output roughly equivalent to that of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sierra Leone, with GDP per capita of $231, $241, and $225, respectively. Over a period of more than 30 years, Vietnam has recorded an average annual GDP growth rate of 7%, so that by 2020, GDP per capita will reach 2,786 USD, at least 5 times higher than the two countries. sub-Saharan Africa. Thanks to growth, Vietnam has essentially eliminated extreme poverty and has improved the lives of millions of people.

Colonial conquest and protracted conflicts are often blamed for the slow economic growth of the African continent. The story of Vietnam is different. The country has been able to make great progress despite its long colonial history and decades of war. Strong political leadership, a state willing to work with the private sector, experimenting with policies and investing in human capital are key factors for the success Vietnam enjoys today.

What does Vietnam have for Africa?

Over the past few years, Vietnam’s impressive growth has caught the eye of African leaders because they see similarities and have the opportunity to learn from what Vietnam has done so well.

Besides, with the goal of becoming a high-income country by 2045, Vietnam is looking for new markets and production bases. Despite being an export-oriented economy, with exports accounting for 201% of GDP, Vietnam’s trade with Africa is limited. If exploited well, African countries can reap many benefits from Vietnam’s approach to the continent.

How does Africa seize the opportunity?

According to the article, to take advantage of this, African governments seeking a partnership with Vietnam should join with strong leadership and political commitment at the highest level to work towards long-term cooperation. long. Cooperation should be based on identified common interests, with responsibilities clearly defined in the partnership agreement. Formal partnerships should go beyond government-to-government relationships and include business-to-business relationships, as these can be the driving force for change.

President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone is the latest African leader to seek cooperation with Vietnam. Witnessing Vietnam’s transformation from a net rice importer to the second largest rice exporter in the world and with the ambition to be self-sufficient in food for Sierra Leone, President Julius Maada Bio took up farming and farming. aquaculture as a basis for cooperation. Sierra Leone and Vietnam have signed cooperation agreements on politics and economy, agriculture and aquaculture.

Global development cooperation patterns are changing and Africa needs non-traditional partners to learn and grow with. Vietnam is one such partner, the article concludes.