Dialogue 09/08/12 Is Africa a priority for US

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Moderator: Yang Rui

Intro:

Hello, I am Yang Rui reporting live. Barely one month after President Obama delivered his doctrine on Africa in Ghana, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton kicks off an eleven-day seven-nation tour of Africa to oversee the execution of the American policy in the continent.

President Obama spoke of democracy, opportunity, health and fighting corruption. But, Africa wants investment instead of smart talk and lecture. China has become the top-trading partner of Africa without strings.

But, Obama is seen as the son of Africa and of former freed American slaves. Why is Africa a favorite place of this latest round of scrambles amidst the on-going geo-economic shift between big powers? How do Africans look at their own reality and future?

We are joined here live by …Lucy Corkins, research associate at the Africa-Asia Center at SOAS, university of London and Mr. Brandon Blackburn-Dwyer from the US. In a few minutes, we shall talk to Miss He Wenping, director of the Institute of African Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in a telephone interview.