Growth strategy needs to be nurtured

The recent financial crisis has forced African governments to look for alternatives to attract capital, investors and businesses to boost their economies in order to sustain growth and improve the lives of all Africans. The introduction of special economic zones into the continent was one solution.

SEZs are widely used around the world as part of a country's overall economic development strategy, but the specific experiences of Malaysia, Singapore and China have been extensively documented. While many countries have set up SEZs, China has been the most successful in using them to attract foreign capital.

In the last 10 years, China's economic involvement with Africa has increased exponentially in contrast to trade with partners such as the United States and Europe. As part of its strategy of "going global", China is currently working on SEZs in sub-Saharan Africa. Five SEZs are under development in Zambia, Nigeria, Mauritius, Ethiopia and Egypt.