Venezuela is launching a big diplomatic offensive to build closer ties with the African continent.

The government wants to open more diplomatic missions in Africa and invest in oil operations there.

Venezuela is reaching out to Africa, says Foreign Minister for African Affairs Reinaldo Bolivar.

During a meeting with African diplomats in Brazil, Mr Bolivar said Venezuela would this year be offering technical and legal know-how in the oil sector.

He said his country's state-owned oil company PDVSA was studying the possibility of entering oil exploration partnerships with a string of African governments.

Security Council bid

Last year, Venezuela started imposing joint venture agreements and higher taxes on multi-national oil giants operating in its oil fields.

Venezuelan diplomats may advise African energy ministers to go down that road.

The South American country is currently pushing for a more visible presence in Africa.

It wants to open diplomatic missions in 12 African nations, including the oil-rich Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic.

The Venezuelan foreign ministry has also announced plans to set up health and education projects in Africa together with Cuba.

Venezuela would like to see strong African support for its bid to gain a seat on the UN Security Council in New York.

Officials here in Caracas say that so far they are confident of receiving backing from Ghana and Zimbabwe.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4816478.stm

Thats interesting right there bro
For real I think thats a good move
I dont know if all of venezuela would agree with this
One my ex's is from venezuela we never really
Talked about africans at all she never really mentioned it
I wonder why???
She was a really quiet person from the start
Her family was ok with my but not all the way
It was like they would let me in-But puh away at the same time
I might just have to give her a call and ask her what does she think

great post.

Sounds like they're only looking out for themselves really....

I knew a white skinned venezuelan. I actually got in a fist fight, well more like wooped his ***** in grade school for making a racial insult. I never see black people in these cuban or s. american governments, just an enemie of another name. although I am impressed by chavez's stance against whiteness a.k.a amerikka and europe. Africa beware, these Other races have learned (some cases taught) the white man and womans success of exploitring africa as well as working in collusion with these currupt african leaders.

Venesuela just wants Oil, they could care less about Africa's condition, atleast they're not making up a "War on Terror" like Amerikkka.

What Oil producing African nations should do is unite and control their oil with an iron fist, they should be getting rich from it.

I think Africa needs to get off the white nipple first of all. It seems to have options out there aside from America. Of course Venezuela is going to make moves in order to improve it's own country, that doesn't mean it's wrong if it's giving Africa an opportunity to make moves to improve itself. No one is going to just walk over and hand out stuff to Africa. This has been proven time and time again. It's not in their interest to grab Africa by the hand and lift it out of the mud. Africa needs to stand on it's own two feet and use other countries and stop being dependant on America and European countries. It's the same as blaming Asians for opening shop in black communities in America. Why wouldn't they? They're trying to get money too, since black people don't want to do it for themselves. So of course Chavez and Venezuela, China and India are going into Africa to further their own economy, but that doesn't make what they're offering a bad thing. I thnk this is a big reason why black people continue to fail. We want people to come over and lift us to their level out of the goodness of their heart and it's just not happening. That goes for blacks in America as well as Africa.

I knew a white skinned venezuelan. I actually got in a fist fight, well more like wooped his ***** in grade school for making a racial insult. I never see black people in these cuban or s. american governments, just an enemie of another name. although I am impressed by chavez's stance against whiteness a.k.a amerikka and europe. Africa beware, these Other races have learned (some cases taught) the white man and womans success of exploitring africa as well as working in collusion with these currupt african leaders.

Excellent point......