Chińskie inwestycje prywatne w Afryce: przypadek nielegalnego górnictwa złota w Ghanie

• Authors: Kopiński Dominik , Sito Agnieszka

Title variants

EN

Chinese private investment in Africa: The case of illegal gold mining in Ghana

• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

Chinese private investment in Africa has become an increasingly important dimension of Sino-African relations, even though both media and academia have preferred to focus on other forms of Chinese engagement. A massive influx of Chinese to the gold mining sector in Ghana has been particularly noteworthy in this respect. Gold rush in Ghana, which is the second biggest producer of gold in Africa, has been unfolding since 2006 and serves as an example of how complex and far-reaching consequences Chinese private business involvement may carry. On a micro level, this would involve aspects of environmental degradation, security and social tensions. Illegal gold miners have also become a burden on thriving Ghana-China relations, especially after clashes with Chinese residents which ended with casualties, but also triggered a nation-wide debate about misconduct of foreigners. This situation presents a grave problem for the Ghanaian government, which seeks to both cater for local constituency and nurture bilateral relations with China. The article argues that illegal mining performed by the Chinese would not be possible without an active involvement of local people. It would not be also possible without an existing legal framework which appears obsolete, difficult to execute and at times becomes a source of adverse socio-economic effects. Nonetheless, artisanal gold mining in Ghana, properly regulated and opened to foreign small business, could in fact lead to broader participation of Ghanaian society in natural resources wealth.

Keywords

PL

chińsko-afrykańska współpraca; bezpośrednie inwestycje zagraniczne; górnictwo złota; degradacja środowiska naturalnego konflikty

EN

Sino-African relations; foreign direct investment; gold mining; environmental degradation; conflicts

• Publisher: Instytut Nauk Politycznych, Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie
• Journal: Forum Politologiczne
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 16 - Konteksty bezpieczeństwa w Afryce. Problemy globalne, sektorowe, regionalne, lokalne
• Pages: 185-207

Contributors

author

Kopiński Dominik

• Wydział Nauk Społecznych Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego

author

Sito Agnieszka

• Polskie Centrum Studiów Afrykanistycznych

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