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| Standing behind the continent’s infrastructure boom, Beijing seeks closer ties to support the Africa’s renaissance, Li Lianxing reports from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. |
Now a large number of new cross-border networks are being
built to unleash Africa’s market potential, unite its peoples and establish a
new role in international politics. Integration and unification have become the
buzzwords of an era in which China can again play a crucial role.
As part of the January celebrations to mark the 50th
anniversary of the African Union, the 20th summit of government leaders was
given the theme “Pan-Africanism and Africa Renaissance”.
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, chairwoman of the AU Commission,
told delegates that the unity of purpose, sacrifice and solidarity shown by the
African nations was a key factor in the decolonization of the continent and the
dismantling of apartheid.
Zuma said the motive for reviewing the same topic after
half a century was that “the spirit of pan-Africanism and the ideals of the
African Renaissance brought us to where we are today and must propel us toward
an integrated, people-centered, prosperous Africa at peace with itself”.
Facing future challenges
Africa will face many challenges in the future and by
contributing investment and the means to improve the infrastructure, China will
play a crucial role as a firm supporter of the continent’s renaissance and
unification, according to Zhai Jun, deputy minister of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of China.
“We must support, strongly support, African integration
and unification, because only unification will allow Africa to become
stronger,” he said.
Africa has made great progress in recent years, but the
reality is that conflicts in some areas are running parallel to economic
improvements, said Zhai.
“Economic affairs have been the focal point of
Sino-African cooperation, but we are further strengthening our ties with
African countries in building peace and security,” he said.
“As the world’s largest developing country and a
responsible power, we must play a vital role in ensuring peace and security in
Africa.”
Ngari Gituku, editor of Diplomat East Africa, said, there
is a need to promote strong pro-African sentiment to avoid a situation where
Africans will be reduced to bystander status for a second time by new colonial
manoeuvres and tactics, especially those of her former colonizers.
If China is to contribute to the development of the
continent and also protect its own long-term interests in Africa, it will have
a special role to play in accelerating the process.
“African countries will be unable to gain a voice in
international politics, unless they are unified,” said Li Beifen, China’s
former ambassador to Benin and Tunisia, who added that Africa’s unification and
development are in line with Chinese interests, because both sides speak for
developing countries.
“We have similar experiences on many issues, such as
colonial history, the course of development and future challenges, including
climate change. Thus, a more integrated Africa, devoid of foreign intervention,
will help developing countries to be heard on the international stage,” she
said.
While Chinese aid and investment in Africa have largely
focused on infrastructure construction work to facilitate the development of
African countries, critics have complained that China is only interested in
building roads to areas that boast rich natural resources.
However, Chinese construction companies are participating
in the construction of a trans-continental transport network to help fulfill
the aspirations of pan-Africanists.
“If we seek to develop our continent, then we need the
involvement of China,” said Elham Ibrahim, commissioner for infrastructure and
energy of the African Union Commission. “Especially in my area, infrastructure
and energy industry, China should, and could, play a big role.”
The Horn of Africa is eager for a trans-border road that
would connect Addis Ababa and Nairobi. The road would be part of a larger plan
to link Alexandria in Egypt in the north of the continent with Cape Town in
South Africa, and Chinese construction companies are working hard to build the
road.
“The A2 highway project is designed to connect the two
most important cities in the horn region,” said Liu Hui, chairman of the
construction company China Wuyi Kenya Co. “The project has been divided into
several sections; my company has finished one part and is now taking over work
on another section, from Turbi to Moyale, on the border of Ethiopia and Kenya.”
Having worked on infrastructure projects in Africa for
more than a decade and witnessed the development of the continent, Liu said
African countries have differing levels of development, which means the
infrastructure conditions vary as well.
“Roads and railways are essential to fill the gap and
facilitate the market and communications between countries,” he said. “Once
connected, human and natural resources and trade will begin to flow.”
Construction of the 7-meter-wide, 129.63-km-long road
will take around 36 months, but the company will also be responsible for its
maintenance for a further two years.
The project cuts through some of the toughest conditions
in Kenya, the Gobi region in the north of the country. “Ours is the hardest
part of the entire project, because there is no water, no usable soil and no
logistics supplement,” said Li Shoujie, deputy director of Jiangxi Zhongmei
Engineering Construction (Kenya) Co.
“People tried to build a road, but were daunted by the
harsh environment. However, the main virtues of Chinese companies are hard work
and endurance, so we have to make this vision come true,” he said.
“There was once a road in this region and on this route,
but it was too poor to be convenient or efficient, so it was really just a
nominal road on the map,” he added.
“Infrastructure and energy serve the most fundamental and
basic roles in establishing a more integrated and united Africa,” said the
AUC’s Ibrahim. “Without infrastructure, we will not be able to achieve the
objectives set by African countries.”
She said that connecting people is the most important
factor in facilitating regional and continental integration, through improved
transport links and telecommunications, so people can meet and work together.
As China already boasts a number of successful
large-scale construction projects, the country has proved its ability to build
transnational projects in Africa.
“We have the nine corridors of the Trans-Africa Highway,
including highways from Cairo to Cape Town and Algeria to Lagos. Now we are
trying to complete these projects, which began several decades ago. Admittedly,
there are still many missing links and some of them need to be rehabilitated or
upgraded to meet the standards of international highways,” said Ibrahim.
However, finance remains a problem, one that requires the
support of the international community. Thus China’s future aid and investment
in infrastructure construction, especially transportation networks, will be
vital to Africa’s successful integration, she said.
“Africa has so many countries but inter-nation trade
still remains at a low level and the market is small. However, this doesn’t
suggest there is no need for greater communication, on the contrary, it
indicates great potential,” said Yao Guimei, a researcher at the Chinese
Academy of Social Sciences’ Research Institute for West Asian and North African
Affairs.
“The Chinese government is encouraging its companies and
financial institutions to join this process, to join bilateral or multilateral
projects,” she added. “Some of the companies have chosen pivotal African cities
as bases from which they can radiate to other places.”
Integration is a life or death choice for Africa in terms
of sustainable and rapid economic growth, according to Rene N’Guettia Kouassi,
the AUC’s director of economic affairs.
“Despite the global financial crisis, the African economy
is in a good position. A lot has been done, but a lot remains to be done to
achieve our goal, which is to build a ‘State of Africa’,” he said.
Under such a state, the continent would have a common currency
and financial institutions such as a pan-African Bank, an African Monetary Fund
and an African Stock Exchange.
The European Union implemented a common currency 13 years
ago, which resulted in a deepening of economic integration among member countries.
However, the ongoing sovereign debt crisis has now pushed several countries to
the edge of bankruptcy.
“Africa will definitely learn the lessons of the EU and
elsewhere to make our integration safer and more efficient,” said Kouassi. “In
Africa, we are undertaking two crucial tasks, economic integration and
political integration, which move in parallel.”
No individual country is strong enough to face the global
challenges alone, so Africa has to unite its strengths. Regional organizations
such as the Economic Community of West African States, the East African
Community and the Southern African Development Community serve as good examples
of this, he said.
“They are implementing a single customs union, which
means free movement of goods between countries and a single external tax for
imports, which is convenient and attractive to foreign investors.”
The AU is at the forefront of a plan to set up an African
common market and customs union by 2019, he said. “An integrated Africa will be
good for the outside world, including China, because there will be a common
market with a common currency. The market will be there for investment from all
investors and will be more convenient.”
China has a large role to play in this process, he said,
but urged greater understanding of the problems, such as the need for
infrastructure development.
“The fruits of development and growth are not shared
efficiently and may not reach the poor, so when China provides assistance, we
should pay more attention to things such as this,” he said.
Security is paramount
While China’s interests are increasing dramatically in
Africa, the country has to consider the security of its investment, as tough
lessons have been delivered by the recent conflicts in Libya and Mali, in which
Chinese businesses and interests have been affected.
“Regional integration should be premised on peace and
stability.Development is crucial for peace – and peace is essential for
development,” said Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations’ secretary-general, at the
opening ceremony of the AU summit in January.
While certain regions, including the two Sudans, Mali and
Somalia, remain locked in conflict, local forces will provide a sustainable and
effective way of ensuring security, but China can still play an effective and
influential role.
China’s efforts on peace and security in Africa will be
conducted through cooperation with the AU, said Deng Yanting, a researcher at
the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
“The integration of the African security forces must deepen
and the AU will be a leading player in this, so China will also contribute to
this process,” he said. “The AU has established a relatively complete military
institution and has proved its capability and efficiency in the conflicts in
the two Sudans and Somalia, which is a good beginning.”
However, the integration of security remains at a primary
stage and is focused on the economy, he said.
“China should also offer support in this field, not only
to facilitate the process of African integration, but also to protect its own
interests,” he said. “Otherwise, there could be another ‘Libya story’, where
interests and investment could evaporate overnight.”
Contact the writer at lilianxing@chinadaily.com.cn
