Agreements and Disagreements
Let's take some more figures; this time from the WTO, which tracks exports to and imports from Africa as an entire continent (and other regions) here:
The relative economic significance of Africa to these countries is (in billions $US):Table A18 Merchandise trade by product, region and major trading partner, 2010-2011 — Canada
Table A19 Merchandise trade by product, region and major trading partner, 2010-2011 — United States
Table A20 Merchandise trade by product, region and major trading partner, 2010-2011 — Brazil
Table A21 Merchandise trade by product, region and major trading partner, 2010-2011 — European Union (27)
Table A22 Merchandise trade by product, region and major trading partner, 2010-2011 — China
Table A23 Merchandise trade by product, region and major trading partner, 2010-2011 — Hong Kong , China
Table A25 Merchandise trade by product, region and major trading partner, 2010-2011 — Japan
Table A26 Merchandise trade by product, region and major trading partner, 2010-2011 — Korea, Rep. of
Table A27 Merchandise trade by product, region and major trading partner, 2009-2010 — Malaysia
Table A28 Merchandise trade by product, region and major trading partner, 2010-2011 — Singapore
Given the widespread hue and cry of the "yellow peril" ("The Chinese are coming ! The Chinese are coming !"), it surprised me that the US was so close to them in African trade. That the EU was far and away the primary trading partner did not surprise me at all.EU 2010 Exp 162.33; Imp 176.47
EU 2011 Exp 183.49; Imp 203.12
China 2010 Exp 56.06; Imp 67.07
China 2011 Exp 69.14; Imp 93.24
US 2010 Exp 28.28; Imp 87.47
US 2011 Exp 32.61; Imp 94.84
Japan 2010 Exp 10.08; Imp 11.69
Japan 2011 Exp 9.91; Imp 17.11
Brazil 2010 Exp 9.24; Imp 11.30
Brazil 2011 Exp 12.22; Imp 15.44
Korea 2010 Exp 10.21; Imp 6.29
Korea 2011 Exp 10.74; Imp 6.88
Canada 2010 Exp 3.30; Imp 9.62
Canada 2011 Exp 3.52; Imp 14.52
Singapore 2010 Exp 7.09; Imp 1.08
Singapore 2011 Exp 9.15; Imp 1.20
Malaysia 2010 Exp 4.89; Imp 2.87
Malaysia 2011 Exp 5.91; Imp 3.45
Hong Kong 2010 Exp 2.34; Imp 1.62
Hong Kong 2011 Exp 2.53; Imp 4.33
Other "hues and cries", intended to call Americans to action, are the "brown peril" ("The Muslims are coming ! The Muslims are coming !") and the "genocide peril" ("The genocide is coming ! The genocide is coming !"). All three of these messages may have varying degrees of truth in them; but that truth content should not necessarily cause Americans to take action.
The thing that struck me about President Obama's African visit was, what seemed to me, his discomfort with the realities of Sub-Saharan Africa, versus his ideological positions on civil and human rights - positions in which the Congressional Black Caucus (left-progressive in beliefs) also join. Perhaps, there also is discomfort with the fact that the Middle Passage had a beginning (Africa) and an end (America). The beginning can be ignored in the interest of tranquility, but that does not eliminate the discomfort.
So, perhaps it is best to sing Kumbayah (which is not African, but African-American-Gullah), exalt Nelson Mandela and forget about ancient history and present-day realities.
Regards
Mike
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