15 African heads of state were in London yesterday for the inaugural UK-Africa Investment Summit that was hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prince Harry. Like so many other “Africa Summits” in Russia, Japan, Turkey, and India among other places, China, although rarely mentioned, loomed large over the gathering.
“We have no divine right to that business,” said Prime Minister Johnson. “This is a competitive world. You have may suitors,” he added with a subtle admission that Britain has fallen far behind the Chinese in Africa.