Germany´s new face in Africa

"Germany ought to offer something better than the neo-colonial players who exploit Africa's resources and build up their militaries." Rober Kappel

When I come through such statement, I don't only try to retrieve the past of memory of the colonization era, that's documented in the historical materials I used to learn from since early age, but also, I try to figure out again the philosophy of colonization that totally contradicts what is this writer suggesting for Germany in the 21st century.

Chancellor Merkel with heads of African states at G-20 summit. Source: DW

I have no idea the extent to which this point of view represents a big percentage or not, and whether this view is taken considerably by the official level or just normally came out of the domestic community. 

The German Empire has its share of colonization on the black continent "Africa" that lasted during the period of 1884-1919 when the German Empire had emerged and then put a foothold on three separate areas. The German colonial Empire ended with the Treaty of Versailles of 1919.

Today, Germany is quite different in the new world order, new policies are being developed in all fields considering cooperation abroad is the means primarily for economic stability. Therefore, the colonial philosophy vanished away. 

German colonies in Africa. Flickr.com

When Chancellor Merkel invited some African leaders to attend G-20 summit last year, it declared bundle of initiatives to carry out in Africa in order for building up the economy by increasing trade investment, setting up businesses ... etc.

Tracing back this policy, we find out that noting has drifted out of the normal track that was erected since Marshall Plan of 1947. This plan aimed at boosting European war-stricken economy as a result of WWII at that time. However, it said to have been an anti-communist proliferation scheme in EU. 
Since then, Germany has been applying this strategy in Africa based on trade, including initiatives for building the domestic economy. 

To make this plan fully feasible, many obstructive African issues that are being highlighted at formal levels, in an attempt to find their way for a sustainable solution. Migration to EU is a challenge can find a solution minimally relieves the burden of migrants by creating a hope and safe haven in their original countries. 

Therefore, Germany can set up projects and take advantage of those workforces instead of bringing in foreign workforces by training them to be enough skilled and manage the projects there. 

Marshall Plan is still promising as some claim; however, the recent indicators refer to what extent still unfulfilling; lots of African regions where investment is supposed to take place, direly lack in basic infrastructure in many fields. 

Investment operations shouldn't only target the area where German projects are, but Germany should create projects that Africans can take advantage of permanently.

For instance, education is an important process, the German government must open up its gates widely for African students to come and earn practical experiences in many fields to be able to manage their professional life in all sectors wisely.

Furthermore, helping Africans with creating sophisticated educational systems in the home of origin, is a perfect stride for lots of people who can´t make their way to EU. 

Eventually, Germany can guarantee that its policies in Africa are based on cooperation. This how Chancellor Merkel indirectly expressed her upcoming strategy when setting out "Compact with Africa Initiative," addressing that, "If we work for you for the benefit of your countries, we are going to create more security for ourselves and we'll put an end to trafficking." 
In this regard, Germany has to reexamine the contemporary challenges facing Africans, the aspirations of the current generation, the gaps are to be filled, the needs of the governments to step up in the development process. On the other hand, Germany would understand how can it offer its plans, not just how certain project would be lucrative or not.
Most importantly, Germany has to reconsider the mechanism of its investment in Africa by examining the effect of subsidies or private sector that invests in there on the African economy. It has proven to be negatively affecting the African domestic market. Thus, African producers couldn't compete for the German products that swept their markets. The German producers used to buy raw materials at cheap prices, and they are exported at higher prices to the African consumers.
Germany should make sure that the trade movement with African producers is facilitated into the German market, even in EU marker entirely.
By this, in return, we could see an unprecedented paradigm away from the so-called "The more you give, the more you get," rule