The World Bank and other aid agencies can co-operate with China to finance development projects in Africa but big differences remain over lending terms and conditions, senior officials warned yesterday.
James Adams, the bank's vice-president for east Asia and the Pacific, told reporters in Beijing that the bank had proposed to China the idea of jointly financed projects. “We've had constructive discussions and we're pretty confident that we'll be able to find a broad range of activities where we can work together,” he said.
But Mr Adams said China had insisted it would not attach detailed conditions to its loans to governments in Africa and other developing regions. “Given that position, the challenge is in the areas that they want to work: is there an appropriate framework for investment and will that investment be productive?” Mr Adams said.
