Twenty-five minutes is hardly enough time to pick the brain of a distinguished economist, an economist on Time magazine's 2004 and 2005 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. But then he hardly has time, for he has to rush to deliver a private lecture at the United Nations' office in Beijing.

Jeffrey Sachs is special advisor to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and more. For more than 20 years, he has been at the forefront helping to meet the challenges of economic development, poverty alleviation and enlightened globalization. The policies he promotes are aimed at helping people across the world to benefit from increasing economic opportunities.

But perhaps what he is best known for is fighting to combine economic development with environmental sustainability. And as the director of Earth Institute he leads large-scale efforts to promote the mitigation of human-induced climate change.

The former Harvard University professor has authored hundreds of scholarly articles and many books, including the New York Times bestseller, The End of Poverty. According to the book, it was possible to alleviate extreme poverty throughout the world, especially in Africa, by 2025. To establish his point, he cited the example of China, saying it lifted 300 million people out of poverty in two decades.

So why did he pick China? "I believe China's role (in Africa) has been very positive, very important and very much appreciated by the African governments, partly because its help has been very practical, while what Africans hear in the US and Europe sometimes isn't so practical. They're more like lectures, talks and promises not delivered."

"China is helping with roads and power plants, railways and purchases of commodities and foreign investment. No country knows how to build infrastructure like China. It can really help African countries connect with the rest of the world."

One key indicator of the importance of China's relationship with Africa was the recent African Development Bank (AfDB) Group's annual meeting. Instead of being held in an African city, it was organized in Shanghai. Of course, Sachs was one of the participants. "That was an interesting development because traditionally the AfDB holds its meetings in Africa. The fact that it was held in China reflects the importance of the country for Africa's development."

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China's experience in economic development and how it has achieved the "balance between the public and the private", is what African countries need to learn from. Sachs, who has advised a number of economies on reforms, including the erstwhile Soviet Union, South America and some African countries, talks to Chinese officials regularly on how the country can best support development on the continent.

"Africa definitely needs private sector development, but it also needs power plants, railways and roads, special economic zones, a better industrial policy and a green revolution in agriculture." Many of the things that China has developed can help Africa right now. That's one of the prime reasons why China can play a constructive role in the continent."

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