Chinese aid in the library development of Africa: A brief survey

Abstract

The recent relations between China and Africa are a much-debated topic in international socio-economic and geopolitics. There are many different opinions about the Chinese presence in the African continent. Some see it as a ray of hope for African sustainable development and others contested it as a form of ‘neo-colonism’. It is further argued that along with other forms of China-Africa relationship, countries in Africa can be benefitted from ‘Chinese Aid’ beyond trade or infrastructure development. In this context, this study tries to investigate the Chinese contribution to library development in many countries of Africa. Taking various secondary sources, particularly newspaper content analysis, this study has identified a few cases where China has invested in library development in Africa. It is observed that Chinese aid in African library development comes in three types. In the first type, the Chinese government is directly involved in the construction of libraries, in the second type Chinese multinational firms are donating books and e-learning materials to the schools and libraries. In the third type, Chinese non-governmental organizations donate books and other materials to the local schools and communities. Chinese aid in library development in Africa will perhaps enhance learning, capacity building, mutual trust, and friendly relationship. In the long run, this will be a win-win situation for both sides to further enhance the South-South cooperation and above all the development of the whole continent.