Sino-Africa ties boost continent

Algeria's top diplomat praises China's vow to provide $100m military assistance for African standby force

China's engagement with Africa has given the continent a voice to shape its own economic and development agenda, according to Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister Ramtane Lamamra.

Chinese investment in African countries, he adds, has provided a unique alternative that gives governments a bargaining chip.

"Their investments in Africa have generated job opportunities that are improving our economies. This has bolstered our global image on the international scene and Africa can now confidently negotiate bilaterally and multilaterally.

"Together we are building a continent that we can count on; we need Africa to speak for itself but we also still need partners and friends to support us," says Lamamra.

The top Algerian diplomat was speaking about the partnership on the sidelines of the 27th African Union Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda July 10 to 18.

Lamamra says the northern African country has an excellent relationship with China as it was among the few non-African and non-Arabic countries that extended diplomatic ties to an interim Algerian government back in 1958, during the country's war of independence with France. Algeria gained full independence in 1962. "We are steadfast in this relationship that was born during difficult circumstances," he says.

Lamamra calls for increased ties between China and Africa. "There is no room now for exclusivity but Africa needs to welcome friends who supports its development agenda in political, economic, social or cultural issues," he says, noting that Algeria has about 50,000 Chinese workers.

Lamamra, who served as the African Union's commissioner for peace and security from 2008 to 2013, says China and Africa have proactively participated in global peace and security work through United Nations peacekeeping missions. He says he is pleased by China's vow last year to contribute $100 million in military assistance to the African Union in the next five years to support the establishment of an African standby force.

"We are very ambitious when it comes to implementing Africa's solutions to Africa's problems and have developed a comprehensive and effective architecture for peace and security.

"I understand China is discussing the actual implementation with the African Union commission and I certainly think it is very good news. For quite some time, Africa relied heavily on the European Union for support, so it is more than welcome that we can find a country like China to boost our peace and security initiatives. I think we can rely on China because we share principles, ideals and history, too," Lamamra says.

Envisioned by the AU more than a decade ago, the multinational standby force is expected to react to crisis situations with relative haste. Previously, the pan-African organization would struggle to respond as member states delayed sending much-needed troops due to logistics and finances. It is expected to have a force of 25,000.

Lucymorangi@chinafrica.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 08/05/2016 page3)