As Africa pushes for economic transformation and seeks some level of assertiveness at the global stage; there is a growing awareness of the additional complexity introduced by new geopolitical developments.
First is China’s growing involvement in Africa and beyond, particularly its recent elaboration of global structure of naval bases and Defense White Paper.
Second, is the increasing military profile of the US and the potential impact of the war on terror exemplified by the establishment of a new unified command for Africa, known as AFRICOM.
Third is the recent encroachment of NATO into the margins of Africa’s security terrain. The increased role of the US has the potential to alter emergent economic and security undercurrents.
Africa must not only manage its strategic vulnerability in the shadow of Chinese engagement and diversify its geostrategic alliances. It should also secure the safest path for economic development and transformation, particularly large scale industrialization.
However, this will not be possible without a parallel transformation on the security landscape. FOCAC has the potential, as it already did in some security issues, to advance such a transition.
In the peace and security field, FOCAC has guided Beijing away from its traditionally rigid policy of non-intervention towards greater involvement in peacekeeping in Africa.
China has become the largest contributor of peacekeepers in Africa among all the permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Manifestly, China is actively implementing the “Initiative on China-Africa Co-operative Partnership for Peace and Security” and has provided military and financial assistance to the AU for peacekeeping missions in relevant countries and the building of the African Standby Force.
Heads of state or representatives from more than 50 African FOCAC member countries and leaders of African Union will attend the China-Africa Summit in South Africa next week. Reportedly President of China Xi Jinping, will attend the Summit and deliver a keynote speech.
Beyond the pomp and ceremony the Summit and its timing are critical in geostrategic terms and international relations. Beijing’s relations with Africa have flourished in the past decade with massive Chinese investment across the African continent.
However, this hasn’t led to a major strategic shift and serious reorientation of Africa’s international system. There has been no indication that such a strategy exists—at least not one that would lead to a more robust repositioning on security.
This is all the more striking when we consider that China has begun to hunt for maritime security. There are also some shaky attempts by the BRICS to upend the international order by fashioning a coalition to resist what is considered to be Western preponderance.
In a way this has brought a plethora of players into the mix. Vividly something is changing, that could push these players together. These forces were not accidental, and whatever today’s rhetoric of complementarity and synergism might suggest, their consequences are not benign.
Beijing has started, even grudgingly, to project hard power. China announced on Nov 26, 2015, Thursday that it would establish its first overseas military outpost and unveiled a sweeping plan to reorganize its military into a more agile force capable of projecting power abroad.
As long as African countries achieve clarity and establish strategic coherence on China’s emerging role the world will gradually understand and support the fact that the Chinese navy also appears on major sea routes to protect the safety of ships from China and other countries.
It is believed that successful cooperation of China with BRICS, particularly Russia and India, may have a sobering effect on US policy in Africa. Hence, one would expect the Summit to enhance the strategic alignment of China-Africa cooperation and international relations.
The much glorified Summit has to go beyond diplomatic tinkering. At heart, this means the gathering need to establish African consensus on what is expected from AFRICOM and other global players.(Courtesy: Current Analyst)