国际战略研究中心-疫情后的重置：非洲外国合作伙伴关系的未来（英）-2021.2-14页_1mb

A Post-Covid-19 Reset: The Future of Africa's Foreign Partnerships

Core Content

The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the relationships between sub-Saharan African countries and their external partners, creating an opportunity for a hard reset and a rethinking of strategic priorities. The focus areas include Covid-19 recovery, debt relief, anti-discrimination, democratization, security challenges, and climate change.

Main Viewpoints

African governments and publics are increasingly vocal about their frustrations with foreign partners, particularly over issues such as vaccine nationalism, racism, and asymmetric bilateral ties. They are demanding greater equity in international assistance, fair distribution of medical supplies, and more respectful engagement.

There is a tension between what African governments want, what the public expects, and what external partners prioritize. This highlights the need for mutual understanding and alignment of interests to foster a more equitable and constructive partnership.

Key Issues and Challenges

1. Post-Pandemic Priorities

• Recover from the pandemic: African countries are struggling with the economic impact of the pandemic and require equitable vaccine distribution and financial support.
• Reaffirm democratic values: Despite a majority of Africans supporting democracy, backsliding in several countries has raised concerns about rights and governance.
• Reframe global power competition: African leaders are critical of the geopolitical rivalry between major powers, especially the U.S. and China, and want to avoid being used as proxies.
• Resolve urgent security challenges: Conflict zones in the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, Horn of Africa, and others require coordinated efforts and better-equipped security forces.
• Respond to climate change: African countries are highly vulnerable to climate impacts despite low emissions, and need more investment in climate adaptation and mitigation.

2. Discontent and Critiques

• African publics are angry about racism, discrimination, and xenophobic attacks against their citizens and diaspora abroad.
• There is divergence in views on the role of foreign powers, with some criticizing their support for authoritarian regimes and others resisting the imposition of non-African values.
• Francafrique and military bases in the region are sources of tension with French influence.

3. Foreign Partners' Constraints

• Many international partners are focused on domestic issues and geopolitical competition, which can hinder equitable engagement with Africa.
• The U.S. has shifted away from multilateralism, favoring adversarial approaches, which has alienated African leaders.
• China, while supporting Africa through trade and investment, has reduced lending in recent years.

Recommendations for a Reset

1. Start with the Easy Stuff

• Treat each other with dignity and respect.
• Elevate diplomatic engagement by increasing frequency and level of interaction with African leaders.
• Defend universal rights by acknowledging and addressing racial discrimination and xenophobia.

2. Welcome Multilateralism

• Reinforce multilateral cooperation, especially within UN and AU frameworks, to amplify African voices.
• Reframe global competition to allow for collaboration on shared challenges.
• Support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by complementing it with regional and global trade agreements.

3. Move to Tougher Challenges

• Lean forward on debt relief by suspending repayments and rethinking financial commitments.
• Address liquidity and credit score issues to support economic recovery.
• Update health assistance by improving access to vaccines and medical supplies and integrating NCD care into health systems.

4. Finish with the Hardest Tasks

• Confront democratic weaknesses and stand up for human rights, even if it means short-term costs.
• Incur near-term economic losses to address climate change, which is a long-term threat to the region.

Conclusion

A new, equitable, and collaborative partnership between Africa and its external partners is possible, but it requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to change. The post-Covid-19 era offers an opportunity to rethink and reshape the region's foreign relations, prioritizing mutual respect, multilateralism, and long-term collaboration.