Relevant statistics show that half of foreign investment in Africa is used for the exploration and development of natural resources, especially basic products such as oil, minerals and timber. 20% invested in infrastructure and services. The main countries investing in Africa are the United States, the European Union, Canada and Japan. In the investment of new oil fields in sub-Saharan African countries, France lags behind the United States, and Britain ranks third, followed by Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada. But in French-speaking countries, France still occupies the first position. Such as Cameroon, Congo and Gabon. So far, France is still Gabon's largest investor and donor.
1, EU's investment practice in Africa
The EU mainly adopts measures such as policy encouragement, financial support and investment guarantee. Emphasize the importance of private investment in promoting development and cooperation, and encourage the private sector of EU countries to invest in Africa and provide concrete assistance. Such as providing financial support for investment forums and promoting dialogue between private enterprises. In terms of financial support, it mainly provides long-term financial resources including venture capital for cooperation, grants as funds and technical assistance, strengthens the capacity of private financial and non-financial intermediaries, establishes consulting companies, guides and encourages capital flow, and provides venture capital and guarantee for equity investment and non-equity investment. There are also various forms of investment: except appropriation, the rest are general loans.
The fields of investment and assistance to Africa through the European Investment Bank and the European Development Fund include: production, transportation, communication, water supply and sanitation equipment, power generation and transmission equipment, oil and gas development, tourism, structural adjustment plan, mining development plan and economic diversification plan, rural small hydropower development plan and implementation of small projects, AIDS prevention and control projects, forest resources protection and development, wildlife protection, road and bridge construction, etc., covering almost all fields. Judging from the investment agreements signed between the European Union and African countries in 2003, the importance attached to the energy field is still obvious. At the end of 2002, the EU and Gabon signed a cooperation agreement of 44,265,438 euros+0,000 euros for the period of 2002-2007 to implement the projects determined by the Ninth European Development Fund. It is mainly used to help the Gabonese government implement some important projects related to the national economy and people's livelihood. Such as poverty alleviation and regional integration projects, the most important thing is to improve road facilities. Now the two sides are discussing the 10 development fund project.
2. French investment practice in Africa
French investment in Africa is deeply influenced by its traditional relationship, and most of it is concentrated in its former colonial countries. North Africa is the focus of French investment, followed by the CFA franc zone. In recent years, France began to invest in Southeast Africa, especially in South Africa, Kenya and Angola.
Tunisia and Morocco are the countries with the largest French investment in Africa, accounting for about 40% of the total French investment in Africa. According to the statistics of 2002, Morocco ranked first in the cumulative investment of France in Africa, and Gabon ranked second, and the cumulative investment of France in Gabon rose to 12. 4 1 100 million euros. At present, Gabon has nearly 160 French companies and 200 factories run by French nationals. The main sectors of French investment in Africa have shifted from traditional economic sectors to energy and telecommunications sectors. In addition, the tertiary industry is also one of the focuses of French investment in Africa in recent years.
French investment in Africa is characterized by the combination of investment and aid, which is mainly implemented through three branches of UNDP:
-Economic Cooperation Investment and Promotion Company, responsible for investment and cooperation of private enterprises.
-Financial, economic and banking research center, specializing in training business.
-French Foundation for the World Environment, dedicated to improving the world environment.
The funds provided by UNDP to Gabon are in the following forms: preferential loans to recipient countries, medium and long-term loans to state-owned enterprises or private enterprises without state guarantees, loan guarantees in local currency, funds provided by economic cooperation investment and promotion companies, and subsidies provided by the French World Environment Fund. In addition, the French Development Agency also has a training center in Marseille to train management cadres and technicians for government departments, state-owned enterprises and private enterprises in recipient countries. From 2000 to 2004, various forms of funds provided by the French Development Agency for Gabon have reached 65.438 billion euros. The implementation areas mainly include: infrastructure, vegetable planting, forest planning, urban development, water supply and drainage, wood processing and so on.
A recently published report shows that in 2004, the French Development Agency increased its investment and assistance to the poorest countries in the Mediterranean and sub-Saharan Africa, with a total capital of 654.38+0.2 billion euros, an increase of 654.38+065.438+0% over 2003. According to statistics, the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa receive 43% of the total foreign aid from the French Development Agency, and the whole of Africa receives 67% of French foreign aid projects. Funds provided to private enterprises in poor African countries through economic cooperation, investment and promotion of company development have reached 2. 3.8 billion euros.
In the past two years, the supply of energy, especially oil, in the international market is tight, the oil price remains high, the Middle East continues to be turbulent, and the global energy security situation is grim. As one of the eight oil-producing regions in the world, Africa's influence on world energy is increasing day by day. With the improvement of political and economic situation, Africa's market potential begins to appear. Africa has become an important goal for great powers to compete for. Based on this, the United States and Britain want to help Africa's sustainable development by paying attention to debt reduction and poverty reduction, expand its influence and control in Africa, and then compete for energy and broader economic benefits. High-level exchanges of visits between the United States and Africa are frequent, the United States has increased its aid to Africa, and Britain advocates the establishment of an "African Committee" to actively promote Western debt reduction and aid to Africa; Not long ago, the European Union introduced a new African strategy, which shows that western powers have obviously increased their attention and investment in Africa.