Tag: China-Africa

Africa’s friendship for China goes beyond economic and development cooperation.

Posted on By Admin

By Azhar Azam

The Africa-China cooperation is described as a relationship between two partners in which Africa wants to gain from China’s development model and circumvent western pressure, to make political and economic reforms such as infamous structural adjustment, through Chinese soft lending and unconditional access to expertise.

China is a most reliable African ally and perhaps the only major economy never intended to colonize the continent. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September 2018 defended Chinese involvement and refuted the western view that a new colonialism was taking hold in Africa.

The pandemic was expected to threaten the 30-plus year tradition during which every Chinese foreign minister kicked off the New Year from his visit to Africa but the virus couldn’t affect the unshakable friendship as Wang Yi successfully completed his first overseas tour in 2021 to Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Botswana, Tanzania and Seychelles.

Since the first triennial FOCAC summit, two sides have closely worked together and delivered more than 70 percent outcomes on all eight major initiatives including industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, healthcare, people-to-people exchange and peace and security.

In the throes of global pandemic, Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is maintaining its momentum as more than 1,100 cooperation projects are going on seamlessly in Africa with about 100,000 Chinese technicians and engineers constantly giving their valuable contributions to improve the economic and social well-being of African communities.

The world’s second-largest economy hasn’t dithered to extend its steadfast support to help Africa mitigate a hard set of economic, infrastructure, poverty and security challenges. In addition to this, the association between the two ancient civilizations is so comprehensive and deep that every new concept only reinvigorates the already strengthened bilateral ties.

Besides opening a number of Confucius Institutes and establishing 150 pairs of sister cities in Africa to enhance the people-to-people ties, China has funded construction of soccer stadiums and government buildings in at least eight African countries to promote sporting and cultural activities and enrich African’s cultural life.

While progress on wide-reaching, public-oriented and eco-friendly projects will spread infrastructure networks, uplift trade, alleviate environmental risks and encourage more locally based industrial operations – Chinese efforts to engage African people in artistic and recreational events would buff up their hidden creative potential and add another dimension to reinvigorate an ever-growing relationship.

Between 2013 and 2018, the proportion of Chinese aid to Africa had increased to 47 percent from 36 percent in 2010-12. David Shinn, a professor at Elliot’s School of International Affairs at George Washington University, reckoned that Africa is now receiving $3.3 billion a year from China on account of foreign aid as compared to $2.5 billion previously.

The robust increase in foreign aid reflected China was regularly sharing the achievements of its economic growth and benefits of transition from low- to middle-income group with African people. It also reaffirmed that the long geographical distance could not restrict the intimate connection from transcending to the micro levels.

Aerial-photo-shows-the-Mazeras-Bridge-of-the-Mombasa-Nairobi-standard-gauge-railway-in-Kenya-May-12-2017.-Photo -Xinhua

Out of some 42 countries that have started rolling out coronavirus vaccines, no one is from low-income states. As rich nations have taken complete control of the entire vaccine supply chain, billions of high-risk people in the developing world, with almost the entire Africa comprising over 50 nations, could be left out until next year.

Amid selfish gestures of wealthy countries to hoard vaccines for their citizens, China is building a COVID-19 vaccine delivery conduit to immunize Africa with a cold-chain air bridge from Shenzhen to a logistical hub in Addis Ababa with manufacturing capabilities in Egypt and Morocco. The big courtesy will win over African hearts and further elevate China’s standing in the continent.

Western media casts doubts on a promise made by China to provide vaccines to Africa on priority basis. The biased approach would take a dive as Egypt has already obtained the first batch of China’s Sinopharm vaccine on December 10 and Morocco received it on January 27 after Moroccan authorities found the Chinese vaccine complied with “international standards of quality and health safety.”

The seven consensuses Abuja and Beijing reached seven consensuses during Wang’s visit to Africa will promote bilateral cooperation on green and digital economy apart from accelerating Nigerian industrialization and improving independent development capabilities under BRI framework. The adoption of technology and clean economic expansion will reduce unemployment and poverty – key drivers fueling cultism, farming conflicts, kidnapping, banditry and violent extremism in Nigeria.

Green environmental protection, Blue Ocean and tourism are the three key areas China is willing to enhance collaboration with Seychelles. Beijing’s support to cope with climate change, pledge to encourage Chinese tourists to visit the small African island and cooperation in the fields of seafood farming, maritime scientific research and shipping transportation will diversify the heavily tourism-reliant economy.

On debt relief, China has signed debt service suspension agreements with 12 African countries and waived off the matured interest-free loans for 15 continental nations through the G-20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative. While Beijing looks to widen the scope to other African countries to ease their debt crisis, the signing-up of the DRC and Botswana as 45th and 46th BRI partners will allow them to become part of a great clean-and-green development and modernization process.

The bottom line is that it’s not just Chinese financing, infrastructure development, trade boosting and industrialization efforts, which have charmed and fascinated the African governments and people to fall in love with China. Beijing has earned this honor through its understanding of Africa’s priorities, respect for African culture, care of the continent’s environment and people’s health and decades of untiring unwavering support for the continent.

Azhar Azam works in a private organization as market and business analyst and writes about geopolitical issues and regional conflicts. Views here represent author’s not necessarily DWC.

 

Taiwan-Somaliland Ties bad for Africa: It’s a Catalyst for New Cold War Between U.S and China on African Soil.

Posted on By Allawi Ssemanda

In what appears to be a bizarre and unprecedented occurrence in International Relations, earlier this week, Taiwan announced that Taiwan had established diplomatic relations with Somaliland – a self-declared independent region on the coast of the Gulf of Aden. Ironically, Somaliland itself isn’t recognised by any nation in Africa neither is it recognized by United Nations.

Taiwan was previously abandoned by almost all African countries, besides the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Somaliland emerged from Somalia’s civil war that ended Jaalle Mohamed Siad Barre’s dictatorship in 1991.

More importantly, Taipei’s provocative manoeuvre is bound to incense Somalia, the AU and China.

For the leadership in Hargeisa, this unwise move will alienate African countries needed for their quest for statehood.

Equally, Taiwan’s move is tantamount to creating animosity with Somalia and the AU countries that it seeks support from in order to participate in important international bodies such as the World Health Organization.

The Taipei-Hargeisa ties comes amid the backdrop of escalating diplomatic tensions in cross-strait relations as well as U.S trade claims that China is expanding their presence in South China Sea.

This diplomatic manoeuvre by unrecognised actors on the continent poses enormous challenges.

First, it brings insecurity to the volatile Horn of Africa. For different reasons, many actors converge on this disputed territory of Somaliland. The Port of Berbera remains a strategic point of entry for the Middle East, comprising Saudi Arabia, Yemen, the UAE and Qatar.

Second, the former colonial powers in Europe, especially Britain, France and Italy, perceive Somaliland and the rest of the region as a major source of migrants pouring into Europe.

Third, the US, on the other hand, sees Somaliland through the prism of its war on terror. As Washington pivots to Asia with a focus on slowing the rise of China, it welcomes Taiwan’s adventures in Somaliland.

The Taiwanese move in Africa worsens the island’s relations with China mainland. It takes place at a time when Beijing is dealing with endless disputes over borders and islands in the South China Sea.

Although Taiwan and Somaliland’s sovereignties are not recognised by Washington, it surprisingly issued a congratulatory note on the newly established relations.

As expected, Beijing responded by stating: “Such activities remain illegal and will never be recognised by the People’s Republic of China. There is one China in the world. Taiwan is part of China and the government of the PRC is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.”

The implications for Taiwanese involvement in Somaliland are dire for Africa. Somaliland will become a hot spot for the emerging New Cold War between the US and China.

The Gulf of Aden will attract more foreign forces, complicating political dynamics in the Horn of Africa. As it stands, Ethiopia, the main anchor for peace and security in the region, remains unstable.

As Somalia stabilises, it will heighten its quest for the unification of territories it considers its own. Therefore, Taipei and Hargeisa ought to be careful in their premature diplomatic relations. They both have more to lose in playing global giants off in their quest for recognition.

 

Ssemanda Allawi, PhD,
Author: Global Governance and Norm Contestation: How BRICS is Reshaping World Order.

Covid-19: China-Africa Solidarity Needed Than Ever Before

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Even before African countries gained independence, Africa and China shared an intriguing and resilient relationship that despite the distance between the two continents, the now over sixty years cordial relationship between African countries and China can be described as brotherly.

Arguably, the relationship between the two has been characterised by visible solidarity and concerted efforts to engender fairness in the international system. During colonial period when the rest of the world saw Africans as mere objects as some sought to buy Africans as commodities during infamous slave trade, China embarked on a very important role of helping the colonized African countries to snap the shackles of ugly colonial and minority bondage. China’s stand at the time was seen as suicidal. A case in point is that at the time when Beijing announced a kind loan of over $400 Million to help in building of Tanzania – Zambia Railway in late 1960s, economically, China was learning to stand. At this time, China’s per capital GDP was three times less than that of Sub-Saharan–Africa. It can be recalled that till 1978, China’s per capita GDP stood at $156 whereas Sub-Saharan Africa’s averaged at $490!

It is against this background or clear history that Sino-Africa relations even during these hard and difficult times that have been beset by the coronavirus, the two sides continue to stand shoulder to shoulder.

Last week, Africa and China hosted a much-needed China-Africa Extraordinary Summit. The summit was chaired by China and Senegal (in its capacity as co-host of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation –FOCA), and South Africa (as the current chair of the African Union). Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) also attended.

During this summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised that China will continue helping African countries with equipments needed to contain the spread of Covid-19. Another great gesture was President Xi’s promise that China will waive some debt from African countries due this year, and also restructure time frames for repayment from some countries. While such measures are not very uniqueas the G20 also promised to be lenient to low-income countries encumbered with debt.

China’s promise of meeting bills of putting up Africa’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa as was announced by African Union Commission in many ways shades light of not just a brotherly relationship between China and Africa but also a ‘heart-to heart’ relationship between the two.

Despite a few unresolved questions on the project; such as time frame of proposed CDC and the site, China’s pronouncement that Beijing is ready to fund the centre is enough to further describe Sino-Africa Relations as one of mutual benefit, respect and presents China as a true and reliable ally.

While on surface it may seem like a perfunctory decision, the choice of inviting WHO’s Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to grace the occasion was stop-on for it communicated a clear message to those who doubt World Health Organization and was indeed a vote of confidence in Ghebreyesus who a few politicians in some capitals have described as China-Centric. Whether this criticism is political or otherwise, blame game at this critical time would certainly fail WHO’s efforts in ensuring Covid-19 is contained.

There is no doubt that the decision by Washington to withdraw financial support for World Health Organization at this critical time makes their work difficult, leaving negative consequences especially on regions like Africa which are arguably not fully self-reliant to singly deal with Covid-19.

By pulling out their funding from WHO, Trump Administration made it clear to those who want to know that you cannot count on them in the current international system, even when the situation calls for solidarity.

While this may seem far-fetched, one can conclude that it is high time Africa and China lowered their expectations of U.S leadership in dealing with Global crisis through existing International systems. America’s recent withdraw of funds from WHO should serve as an example that president Donald Trump will likely use the same method, he used to win 2016 election; such methods may include employing nationalistic sentiments, and scepticism towards multilateralism as he was clear during his last U.N address where he denounced Globalism. Such methods may in short term see him win the coming elections. What is clear is that impacts of hamstringing global institutions like the WHO in the end leave severe marks.

Therefore, the need for Africa’s own Centre for Diseases Control should not be delayed in anyway, AU leadership should swiftly address the current not tough questions by clearing where the centre should be constructed. Also, China and Africa should show WHO support in these unprecedented times. In my view, more than before, we need Sino-African solidarity.

Namara Collins, Lawyer and Research Fellow at, Development Watch Centre.

Enhanced China-Africa Cooperation Vital to Soften Impact of Covid- 19 – Xi Jinping

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Your Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa,

Your Excellency President Macky Sall,

Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government,

Your Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission,

Your Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,

Your Excellency Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization,

China’s President Xi Jinping speaks during the China-Africa summit on solidarity against Covid-19 on Wednesday 17th June, 2020

At such a critical moment in the global fight against Covid-19, we are gathered together in this Extraordinary China-Africa Summit. Friends old and new are connected via video link to discuss our joint response to Covid-19 and to renew the fraternity between China and Africa. I thank President Ramaphosa and President Sall for joining me in initiating the Summit, and I appreciate the participation of all colleagues present. I also want to send my regards to other African leaders who are not able to be with us today.

The sudden onslaught of Covid-19 has taken a heavy toll on countries around the world, with the loss of several hundred thousand precious lives. Here, I suggest that we observe a moment of silence for those who have tragically passed away due to Covid-19 and express our condolences to their families.

– In the face of Covid-19, China and Africa have withstood the test of a severe challenge. The Chinese people have put up a fierce fight and made enormous sacrifice to bring the situation in China under control. Still, we remain mindful of the risk of a resurgence. In the same spirit, governments and peoples in Africa have put up a united front and, under the effective coordination by the African Union, have taken strong measures to effectively slow the spread of the virus. These are indeed hard-won results.

– In the face of Covid-19, China and Africa have offered mutual support and fought shoulder to shoulder with each other. China shall always remember the invaluable support Africa gave us at the height of our battle with the coronavirus. In return, when Africa was struck by the virus, China was the first to rush in with assistance and has since stood firm with the African people

– In the face of Covid-19, China and Africa have enhanced solidarity and strengthened friendship and mutual trust. Let me reaffirm China’s commitment to its longstanding friendship with Africa. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China shall never waver in its determination to pursue greater solidarity and cooperation with Africa.

Colleagues,

Covid-19 is still affecting many parts of the world. Both China and Africa face the formidable task of combating the virus while stabilizing the economy and protecting people’s livelihoods. We must always put our people and their lives front and center. We must mobilize necessary resources, stick together in collaboration, and do whatever it takes to protect people’s lives and health and minimize the fallout of Covid-19.

First, we must stay committed to fighting Covid-19 together. China will continue to do whatever it can to support Africa’s response to Covid-19. China will lose no time in following through on the measures I announced at the opening of the World Health Assembly, and continue to help African countries by providing supplies, sending expert teams, and facilitating Africa’s procurement of medical supplies in China. China will start ahead of schedule the construction of the Africa CDC headquarters this year.

China will work with Africa to fully deliver the health care initiative adopted at the FOCAC Beijing Summit, and speed up the construction of China-Africa Friendship Hospitals and the cooperation between paired-up Chinese and African hospitals. Together, we will build a China-Africa community of health for all. We pledge that once the development and deployment of Covid-19 vaccine is completed in China, African countries will be among the first to benefit.

Second, we must stay committed to enhancing China-Africa cooperation. To cushion the impact of Covid-19, it is important to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation and accelerate the follow-ups to the FOCAC Beijing Summit. Greater priority needs to be given to cooperation on public health, economic reopening, and people’s livelihood.

Within the FOCAC framework, China will cancel the debt of relevant African countries in the form of interest-free government loans that are due to mature by the end of 2020. For those African countries that are hardest hit by the coronavirus and are under heavy financial stress, China will work with the global community to give them greater support, by such means as further extending the period of debt suspension, to help them tide over the current difficulty. We encourage Chinese financial institutions to respond to the G20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) and to hold friendly consultations with African countries according to market principles to work out arrangements for commercial loans with sovereign guarantees. China will work with other members of the G20 to implement the DSSI and, on that basis, urge the G20 to extend debt service suspension still further for countries concerned, including those in Africa.

China hopes that the international community, especially developed countries and multilateral financial institutions, will act more forcefully on debt relief and suspension for Africa. China will work with the UN, WHO and other partners to assist Africa’s response to Covid-19, and do it in a way that respects the will of Africa.

To help Africa achieve sustainable development is what matters in the long run. China supports Africa in its effort to develop the African Continental Free Trade Area and to enhance connectivity and strengthen industrial and supply chains. China will explore broader cooperation with Africa in such new business forms as digital economy, smart city, clean energy, and 5G to boost Africa’s development and revitalization.

Third, we must stay committed to upholding multilateralism. In the face of Covid-19, solidarity and cooperation is our most powerful weapon. China will work with Africa to uphold the UN-centered global governance system and support WHO in making greater contribution to the global COVID-19 response. We oppose politicization and stigmatization of Covid-19, and we oppose racial discrimination and ideological bias. We stand firm for equity and justice in the world.

Fourth, we must stay committed to taking China-Africa friendship forward. The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Given the new opportunities and challenges we face, closer cooperation between China and Africa is needed, more than ever. On my part, I will stay in close touch with all of you, my colleagues, to consolidate our friendship and mutual trust, support each other on issues involving our respective core interests, and advance the fundamental interests of China and Africa and, for that matter, of all developing countries. This way, we will be able to take the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership to a greater height.

Colleagues,

At the FOCAC Beijing Summit, we agreed to work together to build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future. Today’s Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against Covid-19 is our concrete step to deliver the commitment we made at the Beijing Summit and to do our part in the international cooperation against Covid-19. I am convinced that humanity will ultimately defeat the virus, and that the Chinese and African people are poised to embrace better days ahead.

 

Thank you.