Kagame Dismiss the so-called China debt trap for Africa

With globalization and global cooperation facing headwinds, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Beijing comes at the right time, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Sunday.

There is need for cooperation more than ever as some countries have made clear their intentions that they will come first and others later, or never at all, Kagame told Xinhua.

The FOCAC represents a platform where countries come together for cooperation and carries a “good message” the world should heed, he added.

The summit provides a great opportunity for China and African countries to discuss improving the good practices in China-Africa cooperation, which already has a solid foundation, he said.

The Rwandan leader also commented on the specter of the so-called debt trap for Africa, dismissing it as an “invention” to discourage interactions between China and African countries.

Some Western countries have been accusing China of lending too much to African countries and having them deep in debt.

“Another perspective of the issue is that those criticizing China on debt give too little,” Kagame said, stressing that Africa needs funding to build its capacity for development.

The president also noted that countries should be careful about their debt level as too much borrowing would end up being counterproductive.

Source:Xinhua