China-Africa Cooperation Advancing to Peace Support in The Horn

China has been a multidimensional development partner to African countries. This economic partnership has been cemented through time and now seems to have advanced to peace and security cooperation. When the First China-Horn of Africa Peace, Good Governance and Development Conference was held in Addis Ababa between 20 and 21 June 2022, Horn of Africa countries pledged to work together with China to maintain peace and security in the region.

The Horn of Africa, which includes Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan, along with Kenya – has long been wracked by civil wars, Islamist insurgencies, and military coups, most recently in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia. In October, Sudan’s military seized power, raising instability and putting at risk Chinese investment interests, especially in the petroleum industry. And in Somalia, a resurgence of the jihadist fundamentalist group al-Shabab has led to terrorist attacks in Kenya, prompting Nairobi to send troops into the neighboring country in a further threat to regional security.

Ethiopia is engaged in a deadly civil war in the Tigray region, where millions have been displaced. Washington has responded to the conflict with sanctions, a cut in aid, and suspension of duty-free access for Ethiopian exports. Beijing has previously criticized the US for “meddling” in the internal affairs of the Horn countries, which it says are capable of solving the problems without outside interference.

But Beijing’s decision to no longer remain a passive onlooker in the conflicts that have killed thousands and displaced millions marked a shift in its longstanding policy of non-intervention, driven by its rising economic power. China has vast interests in the region, a major destination for development loans through its trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which has helped to build ports, highways, dams, and railways across the continent.

Chinese companies are building part of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a project opposed by other Nile users, including Sudan and Egypt, and are making inroads in Eritrea, which joined the belt and road investment plan in November and may start seeing money from China flow to develop its ports and rail networks.

China has also funded a US$4.5 billion rail link between Ethiopia and Djibouti – where it has established its first overseas military base and invested in mega ports and terminals – as well as several other projects in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Sudan. Seifudein Adem, an Ethiopian national and professor of global studies at Doshisha University in Japan, said China is formally entering “uncharted territory” with its decision to play a constructive role in resolving regional conflicts, he said;

“It has heralded the beginning of the contest between two approaches to conflict resolution: the Western way, which had been tried and failed, and the Asian way, which is yet to be tried in the Horn of Africa.

“Whether this is a good thing for Africa remains to be seen. But it is a good thing for China – despite the risks associated with it.”

Beijing flagged its interest in a peace conference in February, appointing Xue Bing as its envoy to the Horn of Africa with a mission to help broker an end to the conflicts. Xue met leaders in Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, South Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia in March, during a visit to the region to monitor the situation ahead of the conference.

Aaron Tesfaye, a political-science professor at William Paterson University in New Jersey, said the peace conference is a demonstration of China’s relative economic power, shifts in its perception of threats and interests abroad, and an attempt to play a more defined role in global governance. Tesfaye, who is also a senior fellow at the Afro-Sino Centre of International Relations in Ghana, said the move showed that;

“Beijing’s willingness to hold a peace conference in Addis Ababa demonstrates its changing behavior in terms of the long-held policy of non-intervention which is evolving as its engagement with Africa deepens.

“China has recalibrated its political role in Africa, through a profound learning experience from engagements in South Sudan, Mali, etc and throws new light into Sino-African connections”.

David Shinn, a professor at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and a former US ambassador to Ethiopia, said he does not expect much to come out of the peace conference.

“The issues are numerous and complex, and the contending parties have shown little willingness to compromise. China is a good listener, but in the past has shown minimal interest in taking those strong measures that are often required to resolve conflict.”

The African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa is seen as a neutral location for the conference, in a complex designed, built, and paid for by China. Apart from the “performative” aspect of the diplomatic endeavor, John Calabrese, head of the Middle East-Asia Project at American University said it was important to note that conference co-hosts Ethiopia and Kenya represent the Horn’s two biggest economies and, along with the other participants, have received substantial investments from and owe significant debts to China, he said;

“It is, therefore, a fitting site for China to ‘showcase’ its role on the continent and for Xue to make a splash.

“These efforts are no doubt intended to increase China’s visibility and burnish its image as a constructive ‘public goods’ leader on the international stage – and by doing so, differentiate itself from the US, Europe, and perhaps even Russia.”

As a result, high-level government officials from Ethiopia, Djibouti Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, and China attended the two-day meeting. They agreed to peaceful resolution of regional problems, jointly address natural disasters, and uphold a coordinated approach to combat cyber security, terrorism, illegal arms, and human trafficking, among others. China has pledged to play a constructive role in the peace and development of the Horn of Africa.

During the China-Horn of Africa Peace Conference, the Chinese special envoy for the region, Xue Bing, said China wanted a more important role. Xue said that his country will support horn African nations to build sustainable peace, he said;

“This is the first time for China to play a role in the area of security. Not only in trade and investments but also in the area of peace and development.

“Beijing will also provide assistance in kind, in peacekeeping, cooperate in law enforcement and speed up the assistance of criminal investigation lab equipment to countries in the region.

“China will continue to support countries in the region to uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, to protect regional peace and security, and silence the guns in the Horn of Africa.”

He further mentioned China’s desire to support countries in the Horn to address the challenges of security, development, and governance and pursue a path of unity and self-improvement. As an anchor state in the region, China expects Ethiopia to play a constructive role in promoting peace in the Horn of Africa, according to the special envoy.

The National Security Adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Ambassador Redwan Hussein believed that countries in the Horn need to employ different approaches to solve the challenges of illegal immigration and terrorism, internal displacements, and consequences of war. Redwan said;

“The nexus between peace and security is too obvious to be elaborated here. Making the region free from the burden of war and conflict, and ensuring peace and security, remain the priority of all parties. The people of the region have suffered enough, and it’s incumbent upon us to resort to a civilized, mature way of addressing our difficulties and differences.”

The Horn of Africa is found in a strategic location. Thus, peace and stability in the Horn are essential to the peace and development of the entire continent. In recent years, however, regional hotspot issues, including boundary and religious ones, remain complex and make headlines from time to time. On the other hand, external interference makes the situation even more volatile and complicated, only to undermine the interests of the countries and people in the region. China has expressed its distress to see conflicts raging on and causing misery.

Observers noted China’s heavy investments in the Horn of Africa region and said it was taking a long-term approach to its economic development and trade partnerships. Ann Fitz-Gerald, a professor of international security and director of the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Fitz-Gerald said since China has not been involved in providing direct support to traditional security actors, nor is it associated with a post-colonial experience in Africa;

“China knows that its quest for global economic supremacy requires peace and stability in regions where it is heavily invested.

“It will regard itself as a more neutral and non-partisan ‘ friend’ of Ethiopia’s – a profile which may work more productively in support of conflict resolution.

“It is true that the complexity of the situation in Ethiopia is historical in nature and requires a deep understanding and well-informed analysis. I suspect that China will see its long-term footprint in the country and the wider Horn of Africa region as providing valuable longitudinal knowledge and perspectives which other external actors may not have.”

Zhou Yuyuan, a senior research fellow at the Centre for West Asian and African Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, said the conference has set the tone for China’s engagement in the Horn’s security affairs. He said China played a supporting role for regional countries to lead the process, stressing political dialogue.

“The initiative reflects China’s strong hope that the region restores peace, which conforms to China’s interests. It also reflects China’s strong will to contribute, but whether or to what extent China can contribute is uncertain.

“The possibility lies in that China could use its leverage to invite the regional stakeholders or parties in one country to sit and talk, and may make some proposals to let the parties agree to some points.”

Lukas Fiala, coordinator of China Foresight at LSE Ideas, a ­think tank at the London School of Economics, said that China’s investments across the region needed protection and that its military base in Djibouti has to some extent made Beijing a stakeholder in regional security issues. He also said China likely wanted to send a message to Washington and its European allies, demonstrating Beijing’s confidence in working with African partners to foster regional stability.

Ultimately, however, it will not be China but regional countries – especially the conference host, Ethiopia – that will have the final say in any successful, long-term peace initiative, While any progress towards constructive dialogue among regional parties is to be welcomed, Fiala said;

“The reported lack of discussion on specific regional conflicts reflects the complex challenges China will face in bringing lasting stability to the Horn.

“Regional issues will have to be resolved by regional actors. China is probably not going to play a very active role in the actual negotiations, but may help set the table to foster discussions among conflict parties as well as provide economic incentives.”

African issues should be solved by the African people in the African way, and foreign intervention is by no means conducive to the complete resolution of issues. And, as a responsible major country, China upholds international equity and justice and always speaks up for fellow developing countries. For peace and security in the Horn, it has put forward its proposal. China also proposed the idea for regional countries to independently address the triple challenges of security, development, and governance and realize lasting peace, stability, and prosperity.

Under its Outlook, regional countries will play the lead in regional affairs and hold their future in their own hands. Participants have expressed that the conference was crucial to work out ways to overcome security challenges in the volatile region. It provided a platform for regional countries to sit down together and settle differences through consultation and negotiation. It also opened a pathway that leads to political consensus and concerted actions.

At the wrap-up of the First China-Horn of Africa Peace, Good Governance and Development Conference, the two sides issued a joint statement emphasizing that the HoA is the common home for people in the region and realizing regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity serves the fundamental interests of all countries and meets the shared aspirations of all peoples in the region.

The participants of the conference also uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security and work together to maintain peace and security in the region and build HoA where the guns are silenced for sustainable peace. In joint statement released at the end of the conference, participants said they had agreed to “uphold the vision to work together to maintain peace and security in the region“. The statement reads;

“The parties are ready to step up high-level engagements and exchanges at all levels to enhance mutual political trust and keep improving relations among the countries in the region.”

As per the statement, China and the Horn countries have shown the mutual spirit to demonstrate political determination, take confidence-building measures, manage differences and disputes between countries of the region, and pursue peaceful settlement through dialogue and negotiation in an effort to ease the security situation in countries of the region. It was stated that the HoA countries reaffirmed their respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, commitment to non-interference in the other’s internal affairs, and respect for countries’ independent choice of development path, values, and social systems, the joint statement read;

“The parties remain committed to peaceful resolution of regional problems independently, and while supporting multilateralism, oppose unilateral sanctions as well as external interference in the internal affairs of the countries of the region.”

They uphold a coordinated approach to traditional and non-traditional security such as cyber security, terrorism, illegal arms, and human trafficking, among others; and commit to greater cooperation in counter-terrorism in the region, and agree to jointly address extreme weather and natural disasters such as drought, flooding and locust infestation and safeguard food security of the region.

Noting that security, development, and good governance challenges require a holistic approach, the parties reiterated to sustain regional integration by enhancing connectivity, strengthening cooperation in areas such as agriculture, trade, manufacturing, industry, and infrastructure in order to build industrial and economic belts, create more jobs, drive growth and enhance self-driven development capacities. They further agreed to promote exchanges and experience-sharing on good governance to increase the synergy of the development policies of the countries of the region and explore ways to settle disputes in an effort to foster a development environment for solidarity, stability, and harmony.

The countries of the region further commend China for initiating the outlook on the Horn of Africa Peace, Good Governance and Development Conference, and commit to actively participating in implementing the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. China reaffirmed its resolve to deepen cooperation in areas such as health, illegal migration, agricultural development for poverty reduction, trade, investment, infrastructure, green development, and support efforts for building a development framework featuring “Two Axes plus two Coasts” such as the Addis Ababa-Djibouti and Mombasa-Nairobi development corridors and any other similar projects that enable to achieve regional integration, according to the joint statement. China and Africa are a community with a shared future.

In its cooperation with Africa, China has upheld the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests. Now, under the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa, China will continue to work with regional countries on the three pillars of security, development, and governance. And this will inject more impetus into building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

source Ethiopian Herald, and South China Morning Post