Geo-political Dynamics in the Horn of Africa: Post-Pandemic China–Eritrea relations

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki Meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

After Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, China was one of the first major global powers to give a diplomatic recognition to the State of Eritrea.  The PRC was one the key supporters of the Eritrean independence movement through the Eritrean Liberation Front and later the Eritrean People's Liberation Front. Beginning in 1967, the sitting Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki received military training in China.

As China’s power, influence and soft power in Africa increasingly grows, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi came back to Africa in a less than a month on Tuesday 4 January as the political, economic and security crisis in the Horn of Africa region grows. The new cold war is bringing a significant global geopolitical restructuring with new dynamics of competition, cooperation and conflict in many important contested areas.  

As part of a broader geo-political development in the region, taking into account  the new nexus between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East at a regional political-economy and security complex level is important. To come to the main point of this piece,  the global great power competition in the region is increasingly taking new forms and shapes of competition and cooperation. One of the key global players with more established power and influence in the region is the PRC. 

In the post-Covid world order, China is shaping a new regional geopolitical reordering with its increasingly assertive foreign policy and diplomacy at regional, global and multilateral levels. As China's geo-strategic aims expands, the country's assertive turn in foreign policy towards the Horn of Africa is increasing. 

The Foreign Minister arrived in the Eritrean capital Asmara to begin a three-nation, four-day tour that will also take him to Kenya and the Indian Ocean island state of Comoros. On January 5, 2022, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki met in Asmara with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was visiting Eritrea upon invitation. The two sides held a long and friendly talk.

President Isaias asked Wang Yi to convey his sincere greetings to President Xi Jinping. Isaias extended congratulations on the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), saying that over the past century, the CPC has adapted socialism to Chinese conditions and continuously carried it forward, demonstrating the strong vitality of the socialist system. Having been in an unbreakable bond with China since 55 years ago, I always cherish a deep affection for China and have witnessed with my own eyes the development and growth of New China. China has not only made brilliant achievements in its own national construction and economic development, but also made great contributions to the cause of human progress by opposing hegemonism and building a global order featuring justice and equity.

China's global influence is increasingly growing. This is due to the outstanding leadership of the CPC and the perseverance of the Chinese people. China's success brings hope to mankind and inspiration to other developing countries. Strengthening partnership with China is crucial to Africa's realization of development, and cooperation with China by joint efforts is of great significance to the 1.3 billion people on the African continent. I expect China to play a greater role in supporting Africa's development.

Isaias said, Eritrea and China enjoy a solid foundation of friendship rooted in the principles and concepts of mutual respect and non-interference. Eritrea always firmly supports China in safeguarding sovereignty and independence, and respects China's legitimate position. I am very pleased to have decided with President Xi Jinping to establish bilateral relations as a strategic partnership. Eritrea has drawn up a roadmap for cooperation with China and looks forward to learning from China's development experience to conduct more dynamic cooperation, especially deepening cooperation in the areas such as infrastructure, mineral resources, agriculture and human resources.

Wang Yi first conveyed President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings and best wishes to Isaias, and thanked Isaias for his understanding of and support for the CPC and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Wang Yi introduced the milestone significance of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, the important resolutions adopted and ten aspects of the historical experience. Saying that the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Wang Yi stressed that the two moves are of decisive significance for China to realize national rejuvenation. He said that China stands ready to step up exchanges of governance experience with Eritrea for mutual learning and common development.

Wang Yi said, Mr. President is a sincere old friend of the Chinese people. Eritrea is the first stop of Chinese Foreign Minister's opening visit this year, which fully demonstrates the importance China attaches to China-Eritrea relations and traditional friendship. The decision of the two heads of state to elevate China-Eritrea relations to a strategic partnership has opened up broader prospects for bilateral cooperation. China stands ready to take this as an opportunity to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and push bilateral cooperation across the board to a new level. China will firmly support Eritrea in safeguarding sovereignty, independence and national dignity, opposing external interference and unilateral sanctions, and exploring a development path suited to its national conditions and supported by its people. China is ready to work with Eritrea to turn the traditional political friendship between the two countries into a driving force for economic cooperation, turn Eritrea's rich natural resources into its development advantage, and help Eritrea enhance its capacity for independent development and speed up its industrialization process. China encourages competent Chinese enterprises to take an active part in Eritrea's development and construction.

The two sides exchanged views on the situation in the Horn of Africa. Isaias said, Eritrea firmly opposes the creation of social divisions and ethnic conflicts in the region by external forces. The key to resolving conflicts in Africa is to ensure that countries in the region can retain independence, unity and cooperation and that they can jointly commit themselves to stability and economic development, thus creating favorable conditions for regional peace and development. Isaias refuted the so-called Chinese "debt trap" rhetoric, stressing that China has never interfered in other countries' internal affairs and is an indispensable and true development partner of Africa. He expected China to play a bigger role in Africa's peace and development process.

Wang Yi said, in recent years, some major countries outside the region have used the Horn of Africa as an arena for geopolitical games, causing turbulence and frequent conflicts, seriously undermining regional peace and stability, and slowing regional development and revitalization. Under the current circumstances, countries in the Horn of Africa need to seriously discuss how to realize regional peace and security, unleash development potential and enhance governance capacity. In this process, China, as a sincere friend and reliable partner of countries in the Horn of Africa, stands ready to play a constructive role in this regard.

The two sides also agreed to work together to implement the outcomes of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and boost China-Eritrea practical cooperation in various fields. On the same day, Wang Yi held talks with Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed, and signed the Joint Statement by Foreign Ministers of China and Eritrea.

On January 5, 2022 a Joint Statement by Foreign Ministers of the State of Eritrea and the People’s Republic of China

1. At the invitation of H.E. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea, H.E. Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, undertook an official visit to Eritrea from 4 to 5 January 2022. During the visit, State Coucilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi held bilateral talks respectively with Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh and H.E. President Isaias Afwerki.  Both sides had in-depth exchanges of views on various bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest in a cordial and candid manner.

2. Both sides are encouraged by the confirmation of further consolidation and development of the Strategic Partnership by the two Heads of State, and agreed that the Strategic Partnership of the two countries rooted on the tradition of mutual support, based on similarities in the historical trajectories of the two countries and their shared values, predicated on respect of the rule of law, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and cooperation, aimed at promoting global and regional peace, stability and prosperity.

3. Both sides agreed to actively conduct practical cooperation, under the framework of the Strategic Partnership and Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, in various sectors of mutual interest.

4. Both sides agreed to uphold the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom for all mankind, and oppose hegemonic interferences in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of democracy and human rights. The Chinese side stands against any unilateral sanctions on Eritrea.  The Eritrean side reaffirms adherence to the one-China principle.

Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China, and some selected Chinese media

Geopolitical dynamics in the Horn of Africa. 

Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the "Initiative of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa" and other foreign policy announcements towards the region.

In 2022 China continued its three-decades old diplomatic tradition of starting a new year by making Africa the first destination of its foreign minister. Chinese foreign policy analysts and Africa experts argued that the visit will further strengthen China's expanding relations with the continent to further deepen existing cooperation under the frame of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and also fundamentally urgent issues like fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and issues of the conflict in the Horn of Africa including the civil war in Ethiopia.

In a foreign policy tradition of Chinese foreign ministers starting every new year with a visit to Africa, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Eritrea, Kenya and the Comoros from January 4 to 7, 2022 upon invitation. On January 6, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China Wang Yi and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Awuor Omamo jointly met the press in Mombasa. A reporter asked how China viewed the current situation in the Horn of Africa.

Wang Yi said, the Horn of Africa enjoys a unique strategic position and great development potential. However, in recent years, hotspot issues have intensified and sometimes erupted into conflicts and confrontations, which are totally against the interests of people of the countries in the Horn of Africa and should not continue any longer. To support the Horn of Africa in realizing lasting stability, peace and prosperity, China is willing to put forward the "Initiative of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa" and support regional countries in addressing the triple challenges of security, development and governance.

First, strengthen intra-regional dialogue to overcome security challenges. Countries and people in the Horn of Africa should get rid of the geographical competition among major countries and firmly pursue a path of unity and self-improvement. The countries should take the region's destiny into their own hands through equal-footed consultation. China suggests that regional countries hold a conference on the peace in the Horn of Africa to conduct in-depth discussions on this issue, reach political consensus and coordinate common actions. China is willing to appoint a Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide necessary support for this process.

Second, accelerate regional revitalization to overcome development challenges. The two principal axes, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway and the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, should be enlarged and enhanced with the aim of expanding to neighboring countries at an opportune moment. Meanwhile, the development of the Red Sea coast and East Africa coast should be accelerated, so as to form a development framework of "two axes plus two coasts", speed up the construction of industrial belt and economic belt, create more employment and growth, improve independent development capacity and catch up with the pace of the times.

Third, explore effective approaches to overcome governance challenges. China supports regional countries in exploring development paths suited to their own national conditions and in strengthening exchanges in governance and administration of state affairs to share useful experience and overcome governance bottlenecks. Various ethnic, religious and regional disputes should be properly handled in an African way, so as to create a united, stable and harmonious development environment in the Horn of Africa.

Wang Yi emphasized, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a sincere partner of Africa, China will seek greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Africa's development strategies, solidly promote the "nine programs" of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and make unremitting efforts and play a constructive role in peace and development in the Horn of Africa.

It is a recent memory that on December 1, 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen in Addis Ababa during his working visit to Ethiopia after the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). 

Wang Yi said, China and Ethiopia have a traditional friendship and the two sides have become comprehensive strategic partners. Through the test of international turbulence, relations between the two countries have not been disturbed by external factors or affected by domestic changes. China adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. We do not meddle in the internal affairs of Ethiopia, and we also oppose any external forces' interference in the internal affairs of Ethiopia, and in particular disagree with the practice of some external forces to pressure Ethiopia for their own political purposes. Wang Yi said, the current conflict in Ethiopia is the country's domestic issue in nature. I believe that Ethiopia has the ability and wisdom to resolve the conflict and achieve inclusiveness and stability by political means in accordance with the law. Peace talks are the real solution and the only correct choice.

He further argued that, "Tomorrow the United Nations General Assembly will review the adoption of a resolution on the Olympic Truce, which reflects the shared aspiration of people across the world for peace. I hope that all parties in Ethiopia will actively echo the resolution, stop the conflict as soon as possible and work for lasting peace. To this end, China, as a good friend of Ethiopia, is willing to play a constructive role if needed by Ethiopia on the premise of respecting the country's sovereignty." 

Wang Yi said, there are still many Chinese institutions and citizens in Ethiopia, who come for the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and for helping Ethiopia with economic and social development. The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government have been always putting people first and exercising state power for the people. We care about the safety and well-being of all Chinese citizens abroad. We hope that Ethiopia will take all effective measures and make every effort to protect the personal safety of Chinese citizens and the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese institutions.

Noting that Ethiopia attaches great importance to the traditional friendship between the two countries and appreciates China's firm adherence to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, Demeke said, the Ethiopian government remains committed to a political solution to the conflict and opposes the interference in the internal affairs of Ethiopia by external forces under the pretext of so-called democracy and human rights.

Demeke stressed, Ethiopia places a high premium on China's safety concerns and will continue to adopt a responsible attitude, deploy security forces and strengthen control of the situation to protect the safety of Chinese citizens and ensure that they can work and live normally.

The two sides also exchanged views on China-Africa cooperation. Wang Yi said, the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC yielded fruitful results. In his important speech, President Xi Jinping announced a series of new and significant initiatives on China-Africa cooperation, which received unanimous support and enthusiastic response from all the participants. This will open up new prospects in China-Africa cooperation and also promote China's cooperation with Ethiopia in various fields. Demeke offered congratulations on the complete success of the conference, adding that it will further enhance Africa-China unity and friendship and strongly boost the mutually beneficial cooperation between Africa and China.

The foreign policy decision to appoint a special envoy for a conflict-ridden and war-torn region of the Horn of Africa is seen as part of China’s growing global ambition to play a role in the region’s political dynamics and fragile security situation related to Chinese investment and development.

On Accusations of “Debt-trap” diplomacy

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday rejected suggestions that Beijing was luring African countries into debt traps by offering them massive loans, dismissing the idea as a "narrative" pushed by opponents to poverty reduction. Wang, speaking ahead of touring Beijing-funded infrastructure projects in Kenya, said China's considerable lending to Africa was "mutually benefiting" and not a strategy to extract diplomatic and commercial concessions. "That is simply not a fact. It is speculation being played out by some with ulterior motives," he told reporters in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. "This is a narrative that has been created by those who do not want to see development in Africa. If there is any trap, it is about poverty and underdevelopment," he said, speaking through an interpreter.

Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China, and some selected Chinese media

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