A wake-up call for Global South countries

A senior Ethiopian embassy official in South Africa is raising concern about the Global South’s “wait-and-see attitude” and failure to take a stand in the geopolitical turmoil characterised by protectionism and led by US President Donald Trump.

Minister counsellor at the Ethiopian embassy in SA Gujubo Belachew cautioned Global South countries to stand up and work together to confront the situation threatening their own economic and trade survival.

Belachew was among the speakers at the seminar, Governance of China: Forging an All-weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era, in Pretoria on Friday.

Future of China-Africa cooperation

Speakers outlined different scenarios of how China-Africa cooperation should take shape in the Trump era and how the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation had defence mechanisms in terms of trade, development and economic relations against US unilateralism.

The strengthening of Africa-China cooperation has become more necessary now in light of Trump’s protectionist policies.

Belachew said global trade is not inclusive and is getting deeper into the quagmire of rising trade protectionism and unilateralism in the Western world.

“So, for this reason, the traditional global order is, in one way or another, gasping,” he said.

Shared goals between China and the African Union

The envoy said Global South countries should leverage the potential strength of the Africa-China relationship from their aligned visions.

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“Because of the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, the Chinese vision basically aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063,” Belachew said.

Of the 15 flagship projects of the Agenda 2063, between 60 and 70% cooperate with China.

He said that like China, African countries should also have clear development paths and philosophies as envisioned in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s book, Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, which illustrates China’s development path and philosophy.

A new generation of leaders

Public Service and Administration Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi told the seminar that there were signs that the future of China-Africa relations would be shaped not only by diplomats and heads of state, but by young thinkers, public servants and future leaders.

“This seminar is about shaping a new generation of leaders conscious of the responsibility to build societies that are ethical, efficient, inclusive and future-oriented,” said Buthelezi.

“It reminds us that governance is not an abstract ideal – but it is lived, built and transferred across borders through knowledge, trust and collaboration. In the very near future, China and Africa should be synonymous in both prosperity and solidarity.

“In the future, not so distant, one should not talk about one continent without mentioning the other. When the story of Africa and China is told decades from now, I believe it will not only be a story of roads and railways, of ports and pipelines.”

Human bridges

Buthelezi said Xi’s leadership continued to inspire transformation throughout Africa. He cited student exchanges and training of professionals and officials in China.

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These are some of the human bridges that connect the two nations beyond trade figures and memoranda of understanding. At the heart of this engagement is a vision for “people-first” governance.

Former SA ambassador to China Siyabonga Cwele, a former Cabinet minister, reiterated President Cyril Ramaphosa’s words during his last state visit to China, highlighting the importance of China-SA relations.

‘Progressive internationalism’

Cwele said Ramaphosa pledged to “elevate our mutually beneficial political and economic ties” for the benefit of both our countries and our people.

“He emphasised that we remain firmly committed to the One China Policy and, as our history demands, South Africa will continue to pursue progressive internationalism,” Cwele said.

During Ramaphosa’s official visit in September, the two presidents agreed to promote modernisation as a joint goal in building a high-level SA-China community with a shared future.

This would see deepening of cooperation in agriculture, health, medical sciences, infrastructure development, technology, health care and education.

Poverty alleviation

China committed to sharing experience in poverty alleviation and rural revitalisation, in building poverty alleviation model villages and supporting SA’s urban and rural development.

China has lifted about 800 million out of poverty, primarily by economic growth and reforms.

Beijing implemented targeted poverty alleviation programmes, focusing on rural areas and providing education and infrastructure.

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