The Southern African Regional Poverty Network hosted a Roundtable Seminar

China’s growth: Implications for poverty reduction in SADC
How can Africa (SADC) benefit from China's economic expansion?

Date: 29 March 2006
Full Seminar Report Attached click here

Speakers:

Dr. Martyn Davies, Director of the Centre for Chinese Studies, Stellenbosch University
·                       China’s Growth: Implications for Poverty Reduction in SADC  

Lourenco Du Vane, ORAM Mozambique
·                       Forestry in Zambezia: Chinese takeaway  
·                       Presentation

Peter Draper, Research Fellow at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA)
·                       China and Southern Africa: A Balanced Scorecard?
·                       “Jekyll and Hyde: China and Southern Africa”

SARPN hosted a Roundtable discussion which looked at the role of China in the region and the implications of China’s growth both as an economic power and as an investor in the region. The aims and objectives of the meeting were:
1.        To interrogate further how the costs and benefits of China’s expansion will impact on poverty reduction for Africa.
2.        To explore what role Africa can play to maximize the benefits from China’s Growth for its pro-poor initiatives.
3.        To explore how Africa can mitigate against any negative effects of China’s economic expansion?
The main outcome of this meeting was deepen the understanding of how economic growth/expansion of one or more economies can have a bearing on the growth or lack of it in other parts of the world and thereby impact on poverty reduction. This meeting further aimed to stimulate further discussion on how African countries; specifically how the SADC region can devise mechanisms to protect their economies from external influences/shocks and ensure that the local markets are protected and stimulated to boost economic development for pro-poor growth.