Interview: China a consistent, reliable partner for Africa: ex-Kenyan envoy

China has been a consistent and reliable development partner for Africa as it has helped African countries realize their priority goals, a former Kenyan official said Tuesday.

Julius Sunkuli, the Kenyan Ambassador to China between 2008 and 2012, said African countries recognize Beijing as a dependable ally as they chart new development pathways.

"The core priorities of African countries include good transport, adequate energy supply and houses for people living in cities. China can help us realize these objectives. Our focus should be on how to harness the opportunities provided by China," Sunkuli said during an interview with Xinhua in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

Sunkuli said China's support and investment in Africa have accelerated the continent's socio-economic transformation, and are critical to its economic growth.

"China has focused on a win-win relationship with Africa. Its biggest impact in Africa has been on infrastructure development," Sunkuli said.

China has been providing African countries with financial and technical support, particularly in modernizing the infrastructure including roads, ports and railways.

In Kenya, a China-funded new rail linking the port city of Mombasa to Nairobi is under construction and is expected to run across several East African nations eventually.

Sunkuli said Chinese-funded infrastructure projects, like rail projects in Africa, could promote trade and investment, and those with a regional scope will have even greater impact.

He added the training and internship programs sponsored by Chinese firms have benefited African youth.

Sunkuli said that unlike the West, China has provided unconditional support for African countries' development.

U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Kenya and Ethiopia in July is yet to translate into tangible benefits despite promise of aid and investment, according to Sunkuli, who is also former Kenyan minister for internal security.

Despite "fanfare", Obama's visit had negligible impact on the African continent, he said.

He added China's support in the security area is also significant as the African continent grapples with emerging threats like acts of terrorism by militant groups.

The former diplomat recalled his stint in China, saying it offered him valuable lessons on how China has become the world's second largest economy.

"During my four-year stay in China, I visited many parts of the country and witnessed the industrious nature of the people," he said.

Bilateral trade between China and Kenya rose 53 percent to a record high of five billion U.S. dollar in 2014.

Construction work by a Chinese firm on the Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge line that started at the beginning of this year, has hired over 25,000 local personnel. Endit