Chinese President Xi Jinping (Center) stands with leaders of African countries at a stage meeting on China-Africa cooperation in Beijing in September 2024. (AFP)
Many geopolitical storms have been observed in natural and human-purposeful Africa. It has faced a lot of exploitation in the hands of its colonial and neo-colonial masters, as well as its own power and pelph-lustful leaders. Poverty and underdevelopment are still the biggest ban in the region, no matter what the reins are. Whether it is a military leader and jute or clever politicians, they try to overthrow, slogans and promises remain the same. Many years ago, when I was in Nigeria and we covered many African countries, it was a general belief that every officer of the colonel rank and up to a dream up to the head of the state or government. The follicles were common. However, it is also a fact that it was an army person, who was an army man who started democracy in Nigeria. Although the state of his power failed to save him, although there is a different story.
In recent times, West Africa and Sahel, and many other parts of the continent have not only uprooted governance by military wells, but have also seen wiping the last remaining footprints of the anterior colonial powers. The French is the largest loser of the region.
France is losing its edge
Many Frankophone countries are separating their French connections, and French, despite their final-khai efforts, are not able to revive the situation. Last year, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso asked French and Americans to release their territories and cut all relations as they went to build closely with Russia and China. When the economic community of Big Brother Nigeria and West African States (Ecowas) tried to intervene, not only the three countries staged a protest, but they also demonstrated a kind of macho-nationalism against their own African Also made his own tripartite. Brothers Despite the action by the African Union (AU) and Ecowas, the three countries have denied yield, forcing regional institutions to take more inclusive approaches.
Chad and Kota de Evoire have also pushed the refund of French soldiers and for breakdown. In the 1980s, when I was serving in Abidadan, the French show Window in Kota de Evoire Africa; According to some estimates, about 93% of the decision making was mostly done by the French advisor or ‘Directory Day Cabinet’ in a particular ministry. His currency, French Frank, was the main basis of his intervention and rule, and the French rapid deployment forces were deployed there to secure the presidency. In fact, at that time, a French colonel from Pondicherry led the contingent. All accounting in his embassies was mainly allocated to Indian original officials of Pondicherry. This is true, this arrangement was very good to make the last, but compared to their British counterparts, French colonists were smart and did not avoid social mixture.
Finally, however, the Africans paid the dear for the so -called ‘management’ of the region, and dissatisfaction eventually ignited a rebellion against French installations in its countries, of which the limbs continue to burn.
America tries to catch
The former US President, Joe Biden, hosted the US-Africa Summit, a month before finishing the office and made his last visit to Angola, emphasizing the importance of the Lobito Corridor. With the aim of combating Chinese effects in the region, the US-supported project will connect the important mineral mines in the Congo with Lobito Port in Angola. Even Trump is expected to focus more on Africa in his current term, no matter what he called the place “Shithol” in his final.
American policy in Africa is largely inspired by concerns about fighting China and Russia in the region. For example, it generally ignores the interests of Africans and only fulfills its own geopolitical objectives. Dissatisfaction with Americans at the grassroots level, therefore, natural and quite visible. The memories of the historical excesses of the West in the region during the colonial era have created a credibility crisis anyway, which gives a certain acceptance for both Moscow and Beijing, both their Africa summit and direct outreach Military and physical support for all types of governance. They do it without a compilation or value proposal, unlike the West, whose highly prescriptive behavior, policies and conditions create anger and disappointment at the level of popular and leadership.
While the US launched the ‘Propper Africa’ initiative in 2019, it is Russia’s Wagoner Group – Now the African core has been resumed – which has emerged as a major tool to increase the impact in many African countries. . Trump is shaking the boat: he threatened to cut money for South Africa that the latter was seizing the land – the most private farms in the country are still owned by whites – and “people from some classes To behave badly with. Perhaps the US President did not realize that this year, South Africa is also the president of G20.
China in a stability loop
On the other hand, Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has done a practice to start the new year by visiting several African countries since 1991. It was January -His 57th Travel -She was in Namibia, Republic of Congo, Chad and Nigeria. When he almost missed the coup in Chad, the Congo was facing his own moment, thanks to the Rwanda-supported M33 rebels.
Beijing is also eager to expand its global security initiative (GSI) in Africa. It has chosen Nigeria for a close partnership as it is the largest and richest country in the region. China is a major supplier of weapons and military equipment for Nigeria and is also working to introduce the joint construction of defense weapons in the country. Its infrastructure projects protect the ports (62 projects in Africa) and from roads to strategic connectivity and secure the supply of important minerals and resources, including Horn of Africa, where it already has a base. It is also creating a new headquarters for Ecowas.
The China-Africa Forum Summit (FOCAC) is also held regularly, in the last September 2024. It has 10 programs, which range from industrialization and expansion of Chinese free trade sectors to police and military cooperation. Under these, Beijing is capable of keeping connectivity alive at the highest level and wherever necessary, course-right, especially other contestants tried to combat it and highlight the Chinese debt trap diplomacy.
In December last year, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy hosted the West African Defense Heads in Shanghai for the second seminar, informed them on the security status in the Gulf of Guinea in the Gulf of Guinea in the field of deep interest for the CCP. This year, China has allegedly planned to train 6,000 African senior officials, 500 junior officers and 1,000 law enforcement officers. Its African partners are also not for the Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) and Global Development Initiative (GDI), or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) new Chinese Troika. For example, China has been at the top of the list of Africa’s business partners for the last 15 years.
Russia on a roll
Russia, also, is reviving and expanding its footprint in Africa through bilateral exchange. It has managed to win some support through food assistance and fuel security, which extends into the region despite Western pressure and restrictions. Wagner groups (now name changed) have quickly filled the external interval, especially in Sahel, Sahara and North and Central Africa. Like China, Russians also provide support for their favorite actors without any wire. Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic (CAR), all of whom have seen Cup D’Tat in recent times, have demanded and appreciated Russian presence because they have been western Push for extraction from the tatal. Russia has also added a new department to its Foreign Ministry to focus on the continent.
As they say, however, there is no free lunch – especially in diplomacy. Gold, Diamond and Strategic Base (Libya, Mali and Sudan) thus have become a currency, which trade for current African ruler safety and trade for the stability of their rule.
Against these shifting sands, the French has removed, President Emmanuel Macron did not help the African leaders of being ‘ungrateful’ and did not help them in the case. There is no law in eternity, regret, international discourse.
India should not waste time
India acted fast amid these changing equations. It is a major stakeholder in the region and has a historical relationship with it. Through its extraordinary capacity-making program and infrastructural development initiatives, it is expanding its soft power projection and strategic engagement with the continent. The G20 under the President of India include the African Union (AU) and strong support for strong support for the cause of Africa through the policy of ‘Vasudhiva Kutumbakam’. In 2018, PM Modi listed the ‘ten guide theory’ for India’s engagement with Africa. Under that, the Center is also trying to increase high-level visits in the region. However, it will be useful to move quickly to organize the fourth round of the India-Africa Forum Summit.
Africa trades carefully
It is quite likely that Moscow and Beijing can align their strategies in the continent. While the latter can place itself in position as the major security provider and the largest seller of arms for the continent, China can strengthen its position as a major strategic and economic partner of Africa Africa. It is a recipe for a large -scale geostationary competition with the West because African wants to crystallize its discovery for unity, connectivity and development and weigh all your options on their own terms.
(Writer is former Ambassador of India in Jordan, Libya and Malta)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
