Departing Burkina Faso’s ambassador Juliette Bonkoungou says Africa wants Canadians business, but it wants political respect, too. “We are aware that Africa is a major aspect of a new world order that’s in gestation…we’re saying to Canada, China is there. Brazil is there now. India is very strong. Come too, but in an official way. That means having high-level political rapport.” Canada should do more than its investment, such as high-level diplomatic and political ties that signal interest in their future. She emphasized the disconnect between commercial relationship of Canadian companies with Africa on one hand to lack of any engagement by Canadian government. “For us Africans, trade, diplomacy and policy go together. … To say, ‘Our companies will go and get oil and other things, and we don’t want to know,’ that won’t work.” And diplomatic and political ties matter, too. She notes that the World Bank dubbed Africa the new Silk Road. Its population will double to two billion in 20 years, a key to global labour, environment and security, and its 54 nations will have political weight. Canada can’t be a global player “if it doesn’t reinforce its presence in Africa,” she argued. China, offering loans, roads and railways to grease $120-billion in trade with Africa, has held regular political summits with African leaders. Turkey and India have, too. Brazil is sending political missions. Australia is expanding diplomatic ties. Canada seems less interested. On a related note the current government of PM Stephen Harper’, closed some embassies in Africa and cut eight African nations from the list of main bilateral aid recipients. One result was weak African support when Canada ran for the UN Security Council.  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/from-an-african-diplomat-a-call-for-more-engagement-from-ottawa/article2354591/