Abstract

India and China have dramatically increased their economic and commercial ties with sub-Saharan Africa during the past decade and a half, centered on mineral exploitation, although this is slowly changing. Many of the natural resource-rich states in sub-Saharan Africa suffer from the resource curse – the failure of resource-abundant countries to benefit from their natural endowments. China and India’s increasing involvement will likely exacerbate, where it exists, the resource curse in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, such involvement could help the curse spread wider and deeper into heretofore less-affected countries.

Key words: Economic development, resources, governance, trade, investment, economic growth, energy, international economics.