| dc.description.abstract | China´s rapidly expanded aid, trade and investment in Africa since the turn of the millennium has attracted a lot of scholars’ attention. Some scholars have criticised China´s engagements as been driven by self-interest and argue that China´s growing presence in Africa will influence other donor countries to use aid and diplomatic relations to pursue self-interest. Norwegian aid and diplomatic relations in Africa have increasingly been linked with this debate by some researchers and diplomats from Norway. They argue that Norwegian aid and diplomatic relations in Africa has changed from been altruistic and that Norway is using its aid and diplomatic relations in Africa to pursue self-interest as a consequence of China´s growing presence in Africa.
The objective of this research is to explore from realists´ perspective through the concept of interest that Norwegian aid has and always been motivated by interest. I argued that rather than moving from altruism to self-interests, Norwegian aid has shifted in character, and kinds of interests behind aid. Norwegian aid and diplomatic relations has shifted from diplomatic and security interests to economic interests as a consequence of growing Chinese engagements that has changed geopolitical scenario in aid and investment in Africa and the international system since 2000. Altruism has only been used to camouflage Norwegian self-interest.
China´s growth in Africa has resulted in increased competition over African resources
because of increased prices in natural resources especially in the oil sector, increased interests in investments and trade from foreign governments and entities. Africa now has strong consumer and purchasing power and has become more interested in trade and investment than aid. These changes in Africa as a consequence of China´s growth have influenced Norway to make policy changes and take initiatives in aid and diplomatic relations such as increased FDI, mixing aid with business interest, strategic cooperation with oil resourceful countries, changes in diplomatic missions in Africa etc. The official and rhetoric motive by Norway is based on moral and humanitarian but realists´ perspectives explain differently through the concepts interest. To the realists, Norway is using aid and diplomatic relations in Africa to pursue its economic interest in Africa. | nb_NO |
