Sino-African Union cooperation in peace and security in Africa

2005 marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the first diplomatic ties between China and African countries and saw an increased focus on the relationship between China and Africa. In June 2006, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao visited ten African countries to promote China-Africa relations. In November of the same year, African heads of state met in Beijing to negotiate a massive Chinese package of aid and assistance for Africa, which included preferential loans, cancellations of debt, and numerous other initiatives. Historically, China has played a different role in Africa to that of other colonial powers, supporting African countries in various liberation struggles, providing educational opportunities and assisting in healthcare. Tangible evidence of Sino-African Union (AU) relations is the impressive building housing the AU’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – a gift to Africa from China.

One of the challenges for China-Africa relations is continued insecurity and conflict on the continent. While in recent years the continent has experienced a decline in levels of conflict, a host of factors continue to challenge the security of both the AU and its member states, ranging from ongoing insurrection and politically motivated violence to armed crime.

Currently, China-AU relations are developing rapidly and Africa has come to occupy a strategic position in China’s foreign policy. Indeed, this rapid development in relations is a cornerstone for reshaping China’s relations with AU member states. Hence, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has supported the AU in various areas including peace and security, particularly the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the hybrid United Nations AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), and has conducted several training courses at the Peace and Security Department in China.

However, there exists a wide spectrum of opinions, perspectives and normative judgements on China’s role and activities in Africa. For this reason the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) gathered and shared the views of experts from China, Africa and other regions in the most accurate and balanced way possible. The Conflict Prevention and Risk Analysis Programme (CPRA) of the ISS Addis Ababa Office and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Ethiopia organised a one-day international conference that was held in Addis Ababa. The conference was aimed at enabling an exchange of information among African and Chinese scholars and other main actors involved in China-Africa relations with a view to identifying key challenges and proposing some policy options to enhance the future of Africa-China cooperation in peace and security. The conference was also aimed at building consensus by providing a platform for sharing information, encouraging policy debates and dialogue on Africa’s peace and security agenda. Presenters were drawn from both Chinese and African scholars, policy makers, the AU and the civil society.

The CPRA-Addis Ababa strives to promote and improve the quality of conflict prevention strategies and approaches in Africa. The CPRA complements the work of member states of the AU and the activities of the AU’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) in Addis Ababa. The programme works in partnership with stakeholders and key actors in its endeavour to address peace and security challenges through the prevention and resolutions of conflicts. Thus, the CPRAs actively engaged in thematic studies related to the aforementioned issues.  

Edited and compiled by Dr Debay Tadesse Woldemichael