Strenghtening local agency in Africa-China negotiations

This webinar will focus on local agency in Africa-China negotiations. Panellists and discussants will analyse the extent of agency exercised by local actors in Chinese funded infrastructure and mining projects in Africa. Besides state and substate actors, civic actors also exert agency and have the ‘capacity to do’ whether individually, in large groups, or specific groups, in order to achieve their objectives, which makes them equally important in defining and shaping Africa- China relations. Non-state actors’ agency whether they constitute individuals, groups, structure or organizations that lie within or outside state structures also yield political, economic and to some extent social power at the local level. Panellists will reflect on the extent of agency exercised by local actors in infrastructure and mining projects and its limits in Cameroon and Kenya during the implementation of infrastructure and mining projects. The panelists, most of which are policy facing academics and researchers will also provide policy recommendations on how best to associate and strengthen local agency in Africa-China negotiations and overall engagement.

Main speakers: Merlin Brice Mbessa Nya – Dr. Oscar Otele – Dr. Folashade Soule

Moderator: Hervé Lado