Global Voices Online

This roundup's highlights are Sudan losing African Union Chair to Ghana and some thoughts on China's interests in Africa. Black Kush is relieved that Sudan's president Omar Hassan al-Bashir has lost the bid to become the head of the African Union:

So the African heads have spoken. In the traditional way of resolving conflicts, the post of the AU chair has gone to Ghana

You can give a sigh, but what deal has been made for next year? Nobody is speaking about it yet.

And so is The Sudanese Thinker. Both of them also shared their thoughts on China. Black Kush blogged a post entitled “The Chinese Are Coming!”:

This cry used to cause fear around the world, but it is too late now. They are already here, at least that is what the situation is in Sudan.

What does the Chinese want from Africa, say from Sudan? It is no secret that the Chinese have been investing heavily in Sudan ever since. When the Western countries moved out of Sudan, the Chinese moved in to fill the gap. Who is going to blame Sudan? They are everywhere, building roads, dams and bridges in Sudan, getting oil and what have you.

China is seen as the only country that can put pressure on Sudan with regards to Darfur because of their investment. What can Hu say? Stop the carnage or we pull out? Nobody expects that. If it is human rights, China itself had been at loggerheads with the West for a long time over it.

Hu s certainly welcomed in Sudan. If his presence can do something about Darfur, the better, instead of saying why he should visit Sudan in the first place.

But caution: is the Chinese interest in Africa mainly businees driven or they have other tricks up their sleeves?

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