Africa - Towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals with the help of China?

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to examine the consequences of China?s relationship with Africa, when it comes to promoting the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa. In the last few years, China has made massive economic and political engagements in Africa, and what consequences this will have on Africa's possibilities of development, is highly debated. I have used the UN development theory, underlying the MDGs, as a theoretical framework, focusing on three key concepts within the theory, namely; sustainable economic growth, efficient aid and debt-relief, and the support of good governance. The study is a qualitative case-study, based mostly on secondhand material. My findings conclude that China is promoting the achievement of the MDGs in Africa in some respects, but is failing to do so in others. China is spurring economic growth in Africa, which is very beneficial when it comes to the achievement of the MDGs. However, China fails when it comes to the support of good governance, which has the potential of being devastating when it comes to promoting the achievement of the MDGs in Africa.