African Perspective of Hu-Obama Meet

While Chinese president Hu Jintao and U.S. president Obama dined and lunched inside the White House, the Africans are watching the leaders of the two biggest economies with high interests.

Recently, Africa has become a new frontier for both the countries, who are eager to win hearts and mind and influence on the largest voting bloc at United Nations. The natural resource rich continent also has the largest untapped reserves that both countries need.

However, the Africa is hardly on the top of the two leaders' agenda at their meetings in Washington. U.S. will be eager to sign orders and create jobs for millions of Americans, and the Chinese want to put a stormy year of bilateral relationship to a safe harbor, at least for now.

As Obama will be on the road again to visit African continent this year, and China will unquestionably send their high level envoys to African capitals as well, just they did in the past, the competition is not over at all, it just started.

Not too long, the collaboration between China and the U.S. in Africa will also become one of the top agendas when Hu and Obama meet.

Harmatan, the season of dust

Right from the New Year to Feb, here in Ghana is a season called Harmatan,when the hot and dusty wind is blown down from the Sahara to the West African countries.

During the two winters I have spent here in Accra, this year the Harmatan haze is particularly and noticeably bad. Through this whole week, everyday the sky has never cleared, the sun was half visible. Unlike Winter foggy days, the temperature is still hovering around 80 degree (20 degree Celsius). The fine dusty particles are everywhere and have made people coughing and avoid going outdoor.

Even the raining season will be still several months away, but one rainy break in the middle of dusty haze will be so much welcomed.

(photo courtesy: Flikr/hiyori)