非洲希望成为金砖国家新开发银行的扩员对象，这是促进非洲发展机制的组成部分
文I布克拉·奥冈西纳 尼日利亚《领导者》报记者
第九届金砖国家峰会在中国福建省厦门市举行，3000多名媒体人员对大会进行了全方位报道。这次峰会给非洲人以全新的感受，他们最初曾以为这个由巴西、俄罗斯、印度、中国和南非组成的经济集团和非洲没什么关系。然而，今年这次峰会对“全面包容性”主题的强调和高度重视成为开启双赢合作的转折点和巨大推动力量。
在峰会开幕式上，习近平主席指出了金砖国家与其他国家合作的潜力：金砖国家2016年对外投资总额为1970亿美元，仅有5.7%在其成员国之间。金砖国家与其他国家的合作可以为双方带来更多利益。
在工商论坛上，与会者探讨了基础设施开发、农业、网络技术、制造业和安全等领域的议题。其他议题包括：金砖国家在全球治理中发挥更大作用，加强金砖国家在世界经济治理、贸易与投资、金融一体化与发展、互联互通等方面的作用，以及金砖国家促进蓝色经济的愿望。发展蓝色经济包括有助于从事开发海洋资源和依靠海洋的经济活动，如海洋旅游、石油和天然气等。
除金砖五国外，几内亚、塔吉克斯坦、埃及、墨西哥和泰国也应邀参加了本次峰会。媒体和众多非成员国对此很激动。也许这是因为本次峰会的主题恰好是“全面包容性”，这是关注的要点。
今年受邀参加金砖国家峰会的五个国家都是发展中国家，其中两个是非洲国家，这意味着非洲将在金砖国家的运作中发挥着极其重要的作用。
非洲希望成为金砖国家新开发银行的扩员对象，这是促进非洲发展机制的组成部分。新开发银行成立于2015年，是一家多边银行。非洲希望利用这一机会获取该行贷款，以解决面临的一系列问题。目前，新开发银行已经在南非设立了一个分支机构。
非洲深受基础设施滞后问题的困扰。这片大陆需要大规模开发基础设施、运输、电力、制造、农业和卫生设施。一个不容否认的事实是：非洲是一个新兴市场。
几内亚总统、非盟轮值主席阿尔法·孔戴出席本届峰会，并表明了非洲参与金砖合作的意愿。在接受中非新闻交流中心记者采访时，孔戴总统表示：“今天，我们主要的关注点是能源，特别是可再生能源，其次是采矿、农业和年轻人就业，我们不希望再看到我们的孩子为偷渡到欧洲而葬身地中海。”
“另一关注点是基础设施。如果没有基础设施，就不要奢望建立自由贸易区。如果没有公路或铁路将喀麦隆和刚果（布拉柴维尔）等邻国连接在一起，还奢谈什么自由贸易区？能源、工业化、教育、新技术和医疗卫生是我们正在努力解决的问题。”这是他在谈到非洲面临的挑战时所说。
这的确是非洲大陆的现状，更是尼日利亚的真实写照。尼日利亚是非洲最大的经济体，也是一个庞大新兴的市场。尼日利亚希望为金砖做贡献，也希望从金砖合作中受益。据英国广播公司（BBC）最近报道，尼日利亚已经从衰退中全面恢复，与南非不相上下。尼日利亚GDP年增长率不到0.6%，这一增长速度不算快，但其经济具有很大的潜力。
根据非洲开发银行集团的一份报告，尼日利亚的2017年前景是“经济稳健复苏，实际GDP增长率预计为2.2%，这主要得益于基础设施支出的增加和石油产量的恢复”。
尼日利亚总统穆罕默杜·布哈里的使命很明确。他领导的政府计划通过多种方法恢复和发展经济，特别是农业、制造业和基础设施等拥有良好前景的领域。这些领域与金砖国家的发展议程是一致的。（编辑：常浩）
Ninth BRICS Summit: an Agenda for all Inclusiveness
By Bukola Ogunsina, Journalist of the newspaper Leadership of Nigeria
The ninth BRICS summit has come and gone at Fujian Province, city of Xiamen with about 3000 media personnel covering the entire event. It has left in its wake a totally new perception for Africans who initially believed the economic group, made up of; Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa had nothing to do with Africa. Albeit, this year, the Summit’s emphasis and intense focus on an 'all-inclusive’ theme has become the massive deal changer for a win win cooperation.
While addressing the opening of the ninth BRICS summit, President Xi Jinping noted the potential for cooperation with other countries, disclosing that the foreign investments of BRICS member countries summed up to 197 billion USD in 2016, and only 5.7 percent took place between its member states. Portraying that cooperation of the group with other countries is of more benefit.
Several topics were contemplated at the business forum ranging from infrastructural development, agriculture, cyber technology, manufacture and security among others. Other topics mentioned by the Director of the Organising Committee of the 2017 BRICS Business Forum and President of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Mr Jiang Zengwei, while briefing the press during the forum include a larger role in global governance, strengthening the groups role of contribution in world economic governance, trade and investment, financial integration and development, connectivity, and BRICS desire to promote the blue economy. This will in turn include activities that will help develop marine resources and rely on the sea for its economy, namely; marine tourism, oil and gas and so on.
The BRICS Plus model, inviting five countries namely; New Guinea, Tajikstan, Egypt, Mexico and Thailand, offering them a seat at the table for this year’s Summit, has also caused an undeniable thrill in the media and among non-member countries. Perhaps it’s because this comes just as the ‘all inclusive’ theme takes centre stage.
The fact that this year’s BRICS Plusparticipants are developing countries and two out of the five are African countries underlines that Africa has a vital role to play in the group’s efforts.
Already Africa intends to be a member of the New Development Bank (NDB) formerly the BRICS Development Bank, which is a part of the mechanism for Africa’s development. It is a multilateral bank established in 2015. Africa would take this opportunity in order to gain access to loans which would resolve an array of problems. The bank presently has a branch office in South Africa.
Africa suffers from infrastructural problems. It needs to extensively develop infrastructure, transportation, electricity, manufacture, agriculture and health which are key issues it faces among others. But the fact cannot be denied that the continent is an emerging market.
The attendance of the President of New Guinea, and the Chairman of African Union, Alpha Conde at BRICS Summit, sends a strong message of Africa’s participation. At an interview with a couple of journalists from China Africa Press Centre (CAPC) in Ningxia Province, President Conde disclosed, “Today, our major concern is energy, renewable energy; and then mining, agriculture, and youth employment so that our children do not continue to die in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea while trying to migrate to Europe.
“The other concern is infrastructure. Without infrastructure, you cannot envisage a free trade zone. If neighbouring countries like Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville are not connected by roads or rail lines, how can we talk of free trade zone? Energy, industrialisation, education, new technologies and healthcare are the issues we are trying to address,” he said, on challenges facing Africa as a whole.
This resonates true for Africa as a whole, and more specifically Nigeria. The largest economy in Africa, Nigeria is an emerging market. Nigeria has a lot to bring to the BRICS table and equally a lot to benefit from it. With the recent news from BBC of the country’s official emergence from recession, alongside South Africa, Nigeria’s annual GDP growth is less than 0.6 percent, considered to be slow, however the country’s economy has potentials.
According to a report by the African Development Bank Group, Nigeria’s outlook for 2017, ‘is for a moderate economic recovery with real GDP projected to grow at 2.2 percent spurred by increased infrastructure spending and restoration of oil production to previous levels.
The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari's mandate is clear. His administration intends to restore back and develop the economy through diversification to promising areas such as agriculture, manufacture, and infrastructure. These areas currently align with BRICS Agenda for development.
In turn, Nigeria with its population officially at above 170 million, is an attractive market for trade and investments. Investments in oil refinery, agriculture, manufacturing of steel, clothing among others. Nigeria has the largest and most internationally applauded African peacekeeping troops. Nigerian soldiers have been deployed on various peacekeeping missions in and out of the continent. Its military strength can complement security efforts of BRICS.