China’s interventions in the Horn of Africa

• China's investment in African continent took a new turn with first “China-Horn of Africa Peace, Governance and Development Conference.”
• First time China aims to play a role in area of security.

China’s three objectives in Africa:

• Controlling the pandemic
• Implementing a Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) outcomes
  • It promotes China’s role in infrastructural and societal development of the Horn.
• Upholding common interests while fighting hegemonic politics.

Recent projects

• In 2021 forum, entire region of Horn participated and four resolutions were adopted:
• Dakar Action Plan
• China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035,
• Sino-African Declaration on Climate Change and
• Declaration of Eighth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC.
• Countries from Horn of Africa benefited from China’s vaccine diplomacy.
• 2035 vision for China-Africa cooperation:
• Aim: transform health sector, alleviate poverty, promote trade and investments, and expand digital innovation.
• Focus on green development, capacity building, improving people-to-people exchanges and facilitating peace and security

China’s primary interests/investments in the Horn of Africa

• Four major areas:
• Infrastructural projects
  • African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa.
  • Addis-Djibouti railway line connecting the land-locked country with Eritrean ports in the Red Sea.
  • Mombasa-Nairobi rail link in Kenya
  • Military hardware market in Ethiopia
• Financial assistance
  • Ethiopia is one of the top five African recipients of Chinese investments
• Natural resources
  • Beijing has invested $400 million in Mombasa’s oil terminal.
  • It is interested in minerals such as gold, iron ore, precious stones, chemicals, oil and natural gas in Ethiopia.
  • South Sudan - a source of petroleum products, has continued Beijing's investment.
• Maritime interests.
  • China’s first and only military base outside its mainland is in Djibouti.
• Despite doubts surrounding China’s projects in Africa, governments have mostly been welcoming.

Is China’s new focus on peace in the Horn a shift from Beijing’s principle of non-intervention?

• Peace and stability are mutual requirement for China and Africa.
• For Africa
• Chinese investments could lead to stable environments which could help the countries achieve their peace and development objectives.
• For China
• conflict in the region comes at a heavy cost.
• From trading perspective, region plays a significant role in achieving objectives of China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035.

Conclusion

• China’s move towards peace in Africa indicates a shift in its principle of non-intervention.
• It aims to project itself as global leader and boost its international status.
• For Africa, China’s presence is an alternative to the European powers, many of whom are facing criticism from African governments.
• African governments, which do not conform to Western standards of democracy, interact better with powers like China and Russia.