How Africa-China cooperation is forging a path to a shared future

As responsible members of the global community, Africa and China have created a reliable path towards a shared future. It is indeed in Africa that the Chinese concept of “a global community of shared future” is gaining a broader and deeper meaning, and setting a clearer goal and blueprint for the peoples of the continent. […]

As responsible members of the global community, Africa and China have created a reliable path towards a shared future. It is indeed in Africa that the Chinese concept of “a global community of shared future” is gaining a broader and deeper meaning, and setting a clearer goal and blueprint for the peoples of the continent. To have a common future where there is prosperity and people-to-people connectivity, the Chinese footprint has begun to be seen across much of socio-economic lives, infrastructure and technological modernization of the peoples through the China-Africa community of shared future.

The idea of building a community of shared future came from President Xi Jinping when in Moscow in 2013 he proposed a new approach for international relations and new ideas for global governance and exchanges. It is a concept that holds that all countries share a common future, and envisions a world characterized by openness and inclusiveness, equity and justice, harmonious coexistence, diversity and mutual learning, and unity and cooperation. That vision serves the common interests of both parties. 

Like a consensus decision, African countries quickly embraced the idea and took it up from there to build partnership based on equality, secure environment, promoting harmony and inclusive development, respect diversity, and building a green ecosystem. The two parties already shared some levels of history, cultures, demographics, and external imperialism experience. Today, the two parties are forging steadily to concretize the idea that is defining the kind of world they think they need and to co-exist with other races. Trust and confidence is being built into the friendship.  

As a student of diplomacy and globalization, and an ardent follower of great power politics in Africa, I have come to the realization that Africa’s development, to a very large extent, is gradually bearing Chinese characteristics and China too, is tremendously benefiting from the continent’s rich resources and large market.  Through bilateral and multilateral frameworks across different human endeavours, African countries have found and pursued common purpose and common destiny with China. 

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For example, initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) are building common prosperity in some African countries as a clear evidence of win-win cooperation. This means that both the developed China and developing African countries are creating a community of shared interests, responsibility and destiny, whose wellbeing and security are interrelated.    

But come to think of it. We are all one human family, living in a shared earth, our only home. The only planet we have and the only one that is known to support life. It behoves on us to care for it and its future. Humanity, that is, all human beings collectively living on the earth should take responsibility in caring for its peace, security, health, happiness and sustainability. Africa too, is making an attempt to strike harmony between humanity and nature. To get there, humanity must cooperate across every sector. Climate change, food security, debt management and pandemics are some of the areas where interdependence and interconnectivity of nations are needed to address them. 

Therefore, the call for altruistic support from outside to mitigate Africa’s challenges received attention from China. Many African countries are addressing poverty, diseases, illiteracy, violence and insecurity through trade and economic and security cooperation with China. While some are being solved, others are getting more complex and intractable in some African countries. Amid the great power rivalries in the region, Cold War mentality and the weakening global governance, the situations in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and DRC are giving way to alternate and responsible partners. For instance, Niger complained of the “condescending attitudes” of France and the western powers in negotiating with them to resolve the ongoing political impasse. 

On the other hand, China has demonstrated itself as a responsible partner to lift these countries out of economic and security challenges. No complaint of discrimination and domination. Also, globalization’s benefits were shared more with Africa by China than any other advanced countries. The no holds barred modernisation and revitalization many cities and towns are putting up in Africa in terms of roads, bridges, rails, airports, dams, hospitals, fin-tech, and economic zones attest to mutually beneficial cooperation. There are good testimonies of these infrastructure initiatives from Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Ghana, Senegal, Morocco, Egypt and other places. 

Africa’s modes of production and services have significantly improved through Chinese technology and innovation. Information, communication, transportation, power, agriculture, defence and security and other management have received quality boosts in China. Information technology advances such as the Internet, Big Data, quantum computing and Artificial Intelligence are providing development and employment opportunities to millions of African youth. Many of their peers have died en route to Europe. 

Africa’s connectivity and exchanges have become faster, deeper, broader and more extensive than ever before. In the past, telephone calls and even commercial air flights from most African countries to another were routed through Europe. From Tunisia to South Africa can be covered within eight hours by flight. To address trade barriers in the continent, the technology is also enhancing seamless trade among the countries through AfCFTA. This is enhancing economic growth and competitiveness.

There are capital inflows into the continent from Beijing. For example, the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Cui Jianchun outlined quite a lot of strategic initiatives achieved within his 3-year mission in the country which included the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Blue and Red Line Rails, the Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna rail lines, the Zungeru Hydropower Plant, the Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centre in Bwari Abuja, 5G technology, and the airport expansions across the country. Envisioning a Nigeria-China symphony, he charted the next 50 years of the Nigeria-China relationship guided by the 5-Is (Infrastructure, ICT, Industry, Investment, Import and Export). Africa awaits the “New Qualitative Productive Forces” to engender new use of technology to drive progress and development.

The above shows both partners are paying attention to their collective future where wishes of their peoples will be achieved. The world does not need an arms race or threat of nuclear war but peaceful coexistence. Humanity needs to avoid unilateralism, protectionism, self-destruction, hegemony, exploitation, conservatist populism or any shade of man’s inhumanity to man, but peace and development. So, to build a genuine shared future and prosperity, Africa and China need greater cooperation. Humanity is in need of mutually beneficial cooperation and solidarity in working together and aligning individual’s interests to solve problems. There is no better place to forge that cooperation than in Africa. The way Africa and China are going promises to build a community of shared future for humanity.  Africa should adhere to principles of openness, inclusivity, mutual benefit, equity and justice to its peoples. 

China should support Africa’s aspiration to assume the UN Security Council to promote solidarity and for a better future for humanity. Both should strengthen their cooperation and understanding to promote shared interests, shared rights and shared responsibilities in global affairs. As the current lopsided international order has done disservice to the continent, the open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that will foster lasting peace, common security and common prosperity are what Africa needs as the world poised for a new order.  

Dr. Babatunde is a Fellow at the Nigeria’s Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja; wrote via: [email protected]