Geopolitics is everything.
The geopolitical environment post WW2 led to the Marshall Plan, it does not exist today - but many nations took advantage of it.
The geopolitical environment during the Korean War helped rekindle U.S. interest in Japan's industry.
The geopolitical environment post WW2 led to the Marshall Plan, it does not exist today - but many nations took advantage of it.
The geopolitical environment during the Korean War helped rekindle U.S. interest in Japan's industry.
Lee Kwan Yew took advantage of a combination of the Cold War geopolitics and Singapore's strategic location to attract U.S. interest and investment.
China's "Belt and Road Initiative" is creating certain geopolitical opportunities that smart nations will take advantage of.
China's "Belt and Road Initiative" is creating certain geopolitical opportunities that smart nations will take advantage of.
A common myth is that if you adopt economic reforms, the world will open up to you and you will prosper. It doesn't work that way - you also need the support of major economic powers, & they will only do give it to you, if your strategic interests align.
Laos, Cambodia and Kazakhstan are of limited strategic interest to the U.S,. but are very important to China's interests - so while China will invest heavily in those countries (even at a loss), U.S. will not. Aligning with China makes sense for them.
What Nigerian policy makers are yet to figure out is, "who do you align with and for what"? Development is not just economics, it is politics - the Gulf States won't invest in Ethiopia if there wasn't some geopolitical gain in doing so.
