Last week Thursday and Friday, leaders of the European Union and their African counterparts met in Brussels, Belgium, for the EU-AU Summit, the sixth of its kind since the premier edition debuted in Cairo 22 years ago.
As President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission summarised the summit in simple language: “European Union wants to be Africa’s partner of choice”. Arguably the first trading partner and indeed maiden investor in Africa, Europe has long lost the glory of being Africa’s Lord, as it may be put, in the absence of a better way. The Chinese have since taken over and they seem to have a firm grip on the continent’s resources, having captured the heart and soul of some of the most critical infrastructure in Africa, including the Asian country’s vibrant and aggressive participation in Africa’s “idle” mining and agricultural sectors.
More so, Africa’s politicians and perhaps other private-sector elites seem to like the dancing steps of the Chinese, who perhaps are always ready to serve the interest of their partners, even on terms they could not try in their home country.
Beyond these, the Chinese are brave and would see opportunities where our erstwhile Lords, the Europeans, see risks. Against all odds, the Chinese are investing in Africa’s mining and agricultural sectors and they are doing it in the most efficient manner that fits into the realities of Africa, a lesson that Europe needs to learn and learn fast to compete for their share of the African cake. After all, neither China nor Europe does seek to truly benefit Africa.
I like to quickly note, however, that it is never the fault of Europe or China that Africa remains underdeveloped. Rather, it is purely our fault, for making the wrong choices and being underproductive. Oh, we are the best consumers in the world and ours is perhaps one of the few countries, if not the only one, where acclaimed leaders flaunt expensive cars and other luxuries but we cannot point to any economic value that gives them such wealth. In Europe and China, innovators and entrepreneurs are the rich men in the society and they live a sane life, but we celebrate parasites who deny us progress.
Back to Brussels. Europe is hoping to channel a significant part of its EUR 150 billion Global Gateway Investment Plan through Africa, but is Africa ready to attract this foreign direct investment, and how would it leverage it for progress? Yes, there were conversations on health, agriculture, and education, which are critical areas where Africa needs sincere partners, but are those the true priorities of Europe for Africa or the seemingly abstract issues of climate change? Indeed, safeguarding the environment is important and urgent but perhaps there are more urgent and pressing issues for us in Africa, with issues of food insecurity, social and health crisis, and other life-threatening epidemics loom.
Yes, the EU confirmed its commitment to provide at least 450 million vaccines to Africa by mid-2022, but why ship these whopping doses of vaccine to a region? That’s more than enough in monetary value to put a laboratory here in Africa to produce the vaccine and do much other important research that can help solve Africa’s unending list of health issues. Yes, the EU committed EUR500 million from the famous European Investment Bank to strengthen Africa’s health system but how would it be disbursed, and for what? Is it the funds that would end up in frivolous projects executed only to draw down the funds for the personal interest of individuals? If the EU is really serious about Africa, they should engage through the private sector and through active businessmen, including SMEs, which can appropriately facilitate genuine trade between both continents. That is where China beats Europe in practice. It talks less but acts more through real players in different sectors.
Over the past 22 years of recognising the need to recapture its lost territory, the EU only continues to talk but has very little action on the ground, hence little or no success story to share. Even as WHO announced, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, and Tunisia would benefit from the expansion of its technology transfer, with a focus on sharing the COVID-19 mRMA technology, hopes are still slim on the ability of these countries to meet often heinous conditions.
Really, if Europe means well for Africa and wants to compete with China, they need to put their boots on the ground and call the bluff of China by bringing the competition to the battlefield of Africa, where China is performing its arts and science. The EU needs to cut through the thick to demonstrate it is ready for business and not exploitation, even though China may seem to be a disguised exploiter too. But the EU may be able to beat China if it demonstrates it truly means business by sincerely opening up factories to produce. The best way to be the preferred partner of Africa is to help in stopping the madness of importation of every basic thing that Africa consumes. How can a market of over 900 million consumers not have manufacturers of basic items consumed every day?
Left to the African leaders, the event of last week was another jamboree. Ask the Nigerian government if it has a strategy to leverage yet another renewed commitment of Europe, genuine or not, to partner Africa. It would be surprising if we have any. Many a time, these summits are just fun for Nigerian leaders and perhaps our attendance is often a waste of scarce resources because we rarely have a follow-through strategy in the form of reforms and policies to tap any new opportunity that such a platform presents.
I hope President Buhari and his team would prove me wrong on this.
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