RENÉ N’GUETTIA KOUASSI

Director, African Union Department of Economic Affair

Kouassi earned his doctorate at the Université de Clermont-Ferrand, France, writing his thesis on development finance flows. He became an economic analyst at the Organisation of African Unity in the 1990s and participated in the planning of Japan's development forum TICAD II in 1998, a model used by China for its African summits. He later headed the OAU's Research and Development division before becoming director of the AU's Economic Affairs Division.

By offering an alternative source of financing and diplomatic support, China has become a useful bargaining chip for African countries. Sounding a note of caution to African policy-makers is the African Union's René N'Guettia Kouassi, who in October told journalists, 'Africa must not jump blindly from one type of neocolonialism into Chinese-style neocolonialism.' Kouassi is one of the few African politicians to criticise publicly China's growing activities in Africa.

The dramatic growth of China-Africa trade obscures what is for many African countries, not blessed with abundant mineral resources, a vast trade deficit. Kouassi's native Côte d'Ivoire, for example, bought US$82.9 million of Chinese goods, but exported only $32.6 mn. to China in the first quarter of 2009.

A proponent of African integration, Kouassi argues that a united Africa stands the best chance of benefiting from the attentions of current and rising superpowers. He also pushes for greater African participation at multilateral forums. He warns against the sidelining of African interests at G-20 meetings, where the only African members are Egypt and South Africa.

Kouassi earned his doctorate at the Université de Clermont I, France, writing his thesis on development finance flows. He became an economic analyst at the Organisation of African Unity in the 1990s and participated in the planning of Japan's development forum TICAD II in 1998, a model used by China for its African summits. He later headed the OAU's Research and Development division before becoming director of the AU's Economic Affairs Division.