Human rights in the reconfiguration of aid relations: the case Of China- Kenya relations

Abstract

Financial reliance of the developing countries on the developed nations is a deep-seated characteristic of the current world economic order. In the period following the Second World War, foreign aid relations seemed to be intricately linked to prevailing global political trends. With the collapse of the Cold War, the world and aid system got restructured. Allocation of foreign aid has been linked to political reform and respect for basic Human Rights in the recipient countries. Subsequently, China has become a donor with a different foreign aid policy from the West. While the West attaches guidelines and restrictions to its foreign aid allocations, China has adopted a 'no-strings attached' policy. China's choice not to make human rights parts of its engagement with Africa makes it a very attractive partner to African governments who are very wary of Western countries pointing out their human rights excesses. Whereas the relation between Zimbabwe-China and Sudan-China is motivated, at least in part by poor human rights profile, the nature of Kenya-China relations has not been clearly defined. The study seeks to find out if we can theoretically situate it among the trend that has defined the relationship between China and other African countries. Thus two variables will be analyzed; foreign aid and human rights. The study at least in part will be an examination of the existing theories of international relations explanatory power of foreign aid relations. Being a qualitative study, the researcher will rely on library research which will be supplemented by informant interviews. Thus the study will engage both Secondary and Primary sources of data. Sampling will be based on purposive technique. Data analysis will be done through criticism, evaluation and comparison of collected and existing information.