US competes for better ties with Africa

As the US administration gears up to host the USA-Africa Leaders Summit next week, one cannot help but praise and, at the same time, criticize Washington's belated effort to promote its interests in Africa.

Indeed, the lack of attention shown by the White House toward the continent in recent years was a blunder made all the more apparent by China's success in advancing its business ties in the region. A glaring case in point, the United States has much ground to cover in order to catch up with China in its economic affairs with Cameroon, a nation called "Africa in miniature", whose known natural resources are increasing daily.

Over the past decade, China's trade ties with Cameroon have continued to expand at great pace, with bilateral trade increasing to more than $1.5 billion in 2013. At the same time, China's investments in local infrastructure have paved the way for Chinese companies to benefit from the lucrative mining opportunities that are being discovered with increasing frequency in the country.