African nations seek trade over aid from Denmark

At the Nordic-African Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in Copenhagen, attended by 26 African and five Nordic countries, Tanzania’s Foreign Minister, January Makamba, pushed for a shift in cooperation from aid to trade. Makamba emphasized that the focus on aid keeps African countries stagnant and advocated a balance, without completely rejecting aid. The strategy aligns with the new Danish policy of moving from ‘aid to trade’, as stated by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who supports a pragmatic approach to cooperation with nations of different values. The discussion takes place against the backdrop of China’s growing influence in Africa, known for prioritizing transactional relationships and infrastructure over aid, which has sparked debate in Denmark about adopting a similar approach. However, Minister Makamba did not equate Denmark’s pragmatism with China’s tactics.