opinion

Europe’s Last Chance and More on Afro-Chinese Relations

Mekki Elmograbi

That was the year 2014 in Addis Ababa when we discussed a book and a workshop on Afro-Chinese relations. I was assigned by a group of journalists to present a review on the book “Europe’s last chance!” Also, in the workshop, I realized that the Second Cold War has started already and we became part of it.

Here are the two pieces on the two events:

1.  Europe’s last chance!

A book of 224 pages and 18 Euros-price, authored by Klossa Guillaume and Jean- François Jamet is presenting the real and imminent crisis that threatening European Union – EU!

The book or the study “Europe’s last chance!” is published by Europa-Nova Studies Center in the French language nearly two years ago but the ongoing events have proven that its predictions were hundred percent true.

The international financial and economic crisis shook up world economics and change some European economies to weaker and defective economies in a way that proved the Euro-Zone was not well protected, and not homogeneous enough to recover its strength after the crisis.

The book says the EU is witnessing the greatest crisis in its history because the EU Government became impossible, a big risk of total collapse of the Euro-Zone is possible to happen suddenly, and the future situation could be even worse than the current situation.

EU citizens are no longer strong believers in their union. Other risks and problems are also well-presented in the book, part of them related to the situation in France.

I do believe in the strong argument presented by the authors of the book. There was a comprehensive plan to transform the EU and to merge its political wills in one European governmental fist, but all things stopped now, therefore if the plan could not move on that means it might return to square zero.

“Without ambitious and courageous political, economic and social transformation, EU is risking a slow, sad death”, the authors said.

They also affirmed that strengthening the EU has the last chance now; otherwise, the EU will not be among the major players in the world.

2. IPSS Workshop on Afro-Chinese Political and Security Issues

I have been invited to a workshop on the issue of Afro-Chinese Security and Political relations; it was on the 18th of June at Hilton Hotel Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The workshop was organized by Institute for Peace and Security Studies – IPSS at Addis Ababa University. The workshop comes also in a partnership between the African Union, South African Institute on International Affairs – SAIIA, and Shangahi Institution for International studies – SIIS.

The workshop was perfect and the presentations were constructive and to the point, the questionnaire also was perfect, I enjoyed it but I want to change the first question, it gives two choices on the issue of “international intervention”; Non-Interference and New Interventionism.

My comment is that I don’t think that we have just these two categories:

1. Non-Interference in other country’s internal affairs which is defined in the questionnaire as the policy of not using coercive measures be it military or economic, to achieve diplomatic goals;

2. New interventionism is defined as the policy of using incentives/sanctions, or even military force to achieve diplomatic goals, as compared with Cold-War era proxy warfare and confrontations.

Instead of these two categories, I would like to present two others:

1. Positive, Proactive, Constructive, and Developmental Intervention.

2. Negative or destructive intervention based on internal conflicts and public political rights.

China is strongly criticized by human rights institutes, organizations, and activists for its policy of non-interference in human rights in African countries.

It is a little bit complicated approach; If is the “right to clean water” as an example, is one of the fundamental human rights, then China is the biggest contributor to human rights in Africa, that doesn’t mean the other part of the international community (specifically Western countries) are not contributing. Yes, they are doing well but China still is the biggest.

Yes, this is true! Simply because the political and economic sanctions have put western countries completely out of some African countries, not because they are not starting the positive intervention.

On the issue of internal public political rights, China is not contributing, but Western countries are contributing (positively and negatively).

On the level of reporting, documenting, and publishing violations of public political rights, to some extent they are good.

On the level of political, diplomatic, and military “direct intervention” their practice is completely politicized.

Finally, other actors, like Japan, India, and the Arabs have very good opportunities to intervene more positively but there is a lack of information about what they are doing.

My comment: The two pieces were written in 2014. Currently, there is good information about all actors, and I will write on it.

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