Usama Ibrahim
Africa has suffered from colonization to autocracy and western hegemony for centuries. For decades, the region has served as a tool for fulfilling the vested interests of various powers in the global north. Africa has remained under exploitation by foreign colonial powers. It has earned nothing in return, even while being one of the richest continents on earth in terms of natural wealth. In an era where modernization and technological advancement are leading the globe to glory, African countries struggle for economic development.
However, after suffering for decades and receiving nothing in results, Africa finds, that Chinese multilateralism through BRI is a ray of hope for the region’s infrastructural development and economic growth. The Belt and Road Initiative, launched by the Chinese government in 2013, is worth trillions of dollars, connecting over a hundred countries through rails, roads, and waterways. The BRI projects a win-win situation for partner countries. Thus various African nations consider the project a silver lining after being on the line for decades.
Unlike other Western powers, the Chinese investments in Africa are neither to extract their natural resources nor bind African nations through harsh rules and policies. The People’s Republic of China, under her flagship Belt and Road Initiative, had invested billions of dollars in regional connectivity among African nations.
Supporting BRI, an average of 80% of people inhabiting Cabo Verde, Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso portray the Chinese presence in the African region as a positive sign. Besides, Chinese Multilateralism and how it is the panacea for the African region could easily be understood by the following attributes.
Built By Consent And Partnership Policy
Since the beginning, the Chinese government has been supporting partnerships with equity. All projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) were formalized after bilateral agreements. Following this, 52 out of 54 nations have signed various Memorandum of Understanding with China in Africa. Furthermore, the African Union has also signed an MOU with China for BRI cooperation, paving the way for aggrandized collaboration between China and African nations.
Supporting the Chinese connectivity project, the incumbent President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, said, “The old railways was built by force and violence…the new railway is built by consent and partnership.”
China has remained against colonization and has been helping the countries through economic engagement. There is a strict foreign policy of noninterference. The government of China wants connectivity, trade, and equitable global relations.
Beijing always sticks to its principles of mutual coexistence, and it follows them to develop peaceful coexistence with partnering countries. In the African case, Beijing follows the principle of non-interference, cooperation and reciprocity, and common growth. China will only do to African countries what it expects others to do to China.
Enhancing Connectivity Among African Nations
Since the inception of BRI, an estimated $60 billion was invested under an infrastructural project mainly focusing on building a railroad that now connects the East African nations of Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya, thus mobilizing trade among East African countries.
Despite having an investment of billions of dollars and a projection, leading Africa to the gate of peace, development, and economic betterment, China’s financial programs do not intend to create debt traps. For years, financial assistance to Africa from Northern powers came with strict conditions, compromising African national integrity and foreign policy independence. However, in China, no such conditions apply. The investments China has rendered to Africa are either in the shape of grants and aid or loans with zero or negligible Returns on Investments.
Moreover, under the Belt and Road Initiative, China plans to launch an African free-trade society which will eventually help mobilize trade relations among African nations. Forming an African free-trade society will boast free trade in the continent and complement African trade links with the rest of the world.
Making Africa a junction between South America and Asia
Under the Belt and Road Initiative tag, Beijing has Signed a Geographical Memorandum of Understanding with 49 nation-states of Africa. Despite not being legal documents, these MOUs will pave the way for smooth connectivity among all the project’s African signatories.
Under this multinational project, Beijing plans to build roads and railway tracks across Africa for easy trade between Asia and South America. These projects are not designed to jeopardize or accumulate African land. However, the countries involved in this project will be compensated by job creation and collecting taxes and tariffs. This route will promote trade, tourism, and growth in Africa and expose the enormous African market to the world community.
Investing in Peacekeeping Missions
Along with infrastructural and economic projects, China has invested mainly in peacekeeping missions in Africa. Being the second-largest contributor to peacekeeping under the World Parliament, China is engaged in 5 significant peacekeeping projects in Africa. Furthermore, the Chinese government has allocated more than $100 million to the African Union for its peacekeeping missions.
Job Creation instead of bonded labor
Since 2015, China has supported industrialization, economic growth, infrastructural development, and better living standards in Africa. China has invested over $56 billion in various African regions, creating thousands of skillful laborers for infrastructural development.
Furthermore, in 2019, Beijing’s outward stock of Foreign Direct Investment in the mining industry accounted for $11 billion, creating thousands of jobs in various industrial sectors. In Africa, Chinese firms have provided working opportunities to thousands of Africans.
Provision of Foreign Direct Investment Vs. Debt Trap
No other country has ever provided low-interest and interest-free loans, millions of dollars in grants and aid, and continuously enhanced Foreign Direct Investment like China. For centuries many western superpowers have exploited African nations in the name of colonization and debt traps. However, in China, the picture has reversed entirely.
Beijing has provided Africa with FDI and low-interest or interest-free loans instead of high-interest loans. The loans are long-term with easy terms and conditions to pay back.
Furthermore, by the time of loan repayment, Africa will develop so much, and it will have earned enough through tax and tariffs that the nations will not have to worry about debt repayment.
This differentiated Chinese Multilateralism from western Multilateralism that looted and left Africa in a huge debt trap that they are still paying back.
No Beggar-thy-neighbor Policy
For decades, Africa has remained the victim of Beggar-thy-policy, where various western and northern powers exploited African people and their resources for their benefit. Minerals were extracted from African soil, and precious jewels and metals were shifted from Africa to the West with no royalty and mere exploitation. Nevertheless, it goes in the case of China. Xi Jinping, the incumbent President of the People’s Republic of China, has raised his voice against Beggar-thy-policy and guaranteed no Beggar-thy-policy to be used by Beijing.
In a conference, the President added, “Multilateralism is also about saying no beggar-thy-neighbor policies, and the strong should not bully the weak.” China strongly rejects outdated cold war multilateralism and promotes relations based on equity.
All in all, it seems that Chinese Multilateralism possesses all the traits to be an African panacea. It not only provides African nations a good opportunity to grow along with the rest of the world, but it also safeguards their national and territorial integrity with the right to portray an independent foreign policy like never before.
*The author is a Senior content writer and Certified Neuro Linguistic Practitioner
*The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not necessarily represent those of the institutions
The Diplomatic Insight is a digital and print magazine focusing on diplomacy, defense, and development publishing since 2009.
