Africa international relations (Essay Sample)

1 Define Africa International Relations. Africa International Relations is the political, economic, intellectual, and, cultural participation and involvement of African states and their people within the interstate system with other nations both locally and globally. 2 Describe African international relations within the continent as opposed to African international relations with global states.? Pick any five states in Africa and show how they relate with five African states and five global states. States PickedAfrican StatesGlobal States 1 KenyaSADRChina 2 NigeriaSouth AfricaBrazil 3 South AfricaGhanaAustralia 4 EgyptMoroccoUnited Kingdom 5 CamerounUgandaFrance KENYA – Western Sahara (SADR). Kenya’s relations with Western Sahara are best described as uncertain, as Kenya recently elected current regime seems undecided on how it intends to proceed with one of the youngest upcoming nations of the African continent. The relationship has been a rocky one that began with the then president Mwai Kibaki, in March 2005 he received documentation of a foreign envoy from the newly formed nations, however, in October of the same year Kenya imposed a temporary freeze on diplomatic relations with Sarwahi. Years later in 2014 Western Sahara opened an embassy in Kenya, an occasion that was well attended by various members of the diplomatic corps and the Kenyan vice president. This caused a diplomatic row between Kenya and Morocco, as it lays claim over SADR territory since 1975. However, Kenya’s current democratically elected president His Excellency Dr. William Ruto, soon after his swearing-in rescinded its recognition of Western Sahara and advised that it would wind up the country’s presence in Kenya and proceed to increase and support relations with Morocco. Foreign affairs experts termed the move as one influenced by economic and trade and the move to draw closer to morocco and openly shun its perceived enemies and the decision of accelerating relations with Morocco was one based on economic benefit for Kenya. Less than a week later Kenya walked back on its denunciation of the state of Western Sahara through its foreign affairs principal confirmed that Kenya was still in support of the African Union call, which admitted SADR to its membership in 1982, and United Nations mediation programs that insist that the people of Western Sahara should be allowed the freedom and to decide their future. Kenya maintains excellent relations with all members of the African Union and United Nations and SADR should be no exception. Though not much trade is carried out between Kenya and SADR the relations remain cordial and are maintained both diplomatically and locally. Kenya – China. Kenya and China established their relations in 1963, these were however temporarily suspended in 1967 when Kenya believed that a local coup attempt had received support from China however in 1978 the then Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi initiated repair measures resulting in agreements to promote trade. Technological exchange and investment. They share enhanced economic relations with china seeing Kenya as a long-term ally benefiting each other economically and politically. In recent years trade between the two countries has grown to over 4 billion with china becoming Kenya’s main economic partner. China and Kenya have a long history of trade with archeological data dating this trade back to over 600 years ago. Kenya exports tea, coffee, avocados, and herbs to China, and receives trade deals and development assistance from China in form of loans, though the trade balance highly favors china, with China being the lead lender to Kenya with over 50% of Kenya external debt being from China. China has in the recent past extended considerable support to Kenya placing it as the regional hub due to its development in infrastructure, This relationship is seen as one that brings strife for Kenya with its relations with the western equally powerful nations and Kenya is yet to demonstrate how it will maintain and enhance cooperation with the west and still hold onto and sustain reasonable engagement with China. A recent visit by the Chinese foreign minister in 2022, was to strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations and implement a comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership, with the signing of a total of six agreements the relations between Kenya and China continue to grow. In yet another meeting between the speaker of the national assembly of Kenya and senior Chinese officials, the speaker reiterated that he was delighted that China was seeking to further enhance their strategic economic partnership and, people to people relations, with Kenya’s current president, also advising that he would continue to work with China, and confirming that Kenya cherishes the robust friendship with China and would step up measures to enhance the relations. The current diplomatic cooperation between Kenya and China covers several areas and is strong with both nations being beneficiaries of the agreements entered into mutually and will only continue to become stronger with time irrespective of the western superpowers nations take on it. Nigeria – South Africa. These countries are both former British colonies and members of the African Union and commonwealth, their diplomatic relations are conducted through a Bi-National Commission established in 1999. The commission is run by the sitting deputy or vice president of each nation. Nigeria has a high commission and consulate in Pretoria and Johannesburg respectively while South Africa has a high commission in Abuja. Nigeria has always supported South Africa even during apartheid by supporting anti-apartheid movements, campaigns, and demonstrations. The relations between them are complex, they heavily depend on one another in all spheres economically, politically, culturally and Military. With the end of apartheid, the relations between the two have often been strained on the occasion of Nigerians’ involvement in organized crime within South Africa and expulsions of nationals of each country from the other country necessitating discussions for ease of travel and visa restrictions between the nations. Trade between them flourishes with South Africa importing all its crude oil from Nigeria and Nigeria importing various commodities from its counterpart South Africa. South Africa esteems Nigeria as a strategic partner and an ally and key relation for its bilateral relation with west Africa as a region. They share a common vision on issues of economic and political integration in Africa and the need for sustainable resolution of conflict within Africa by Africans themselves. On all fronts, the relations can be described as love-hate, they are involved in collaboration and in competition. Both compete for supremacy and want to be seen or to assume the position of African Powerhouse. They compete for leading roles like in the AU or are often seen to support the others rivals on such occasions. Trade between the two is of high volumes and value however South African businesses have an easy time setting up in Nigeria and we find many South African businesses in Nigeria, on the other hand, Nigerian face numerous hurdles when trying to set up in South Africa and suffer the most and brunt of South African Xenophobic attacks which are quite frequent. Nigeria – Brazil Nigeria and Brazil share vast and deep histories, during the slave trade many Nigerian slaves were taken to Brazil and at the end of slavery, a few emancipated Brazilians relocated to Nigeria and settled there. Upon Nigeria’s attaining its independence Brazil was the only South American Nation invited to the function and they immediately formed bilateral relations as nations both opened resident embassies in the other nation by 1966. They have both signed various agreements for culture and education, trade and investment, and technical development among others. Brazil is among Nigeria’s main commercial partners exporting most of its natural gas to brazil and importing commodities like sugar and tobacco from brazil. The nations have very cordial political relations, however economically the ties have plenty of room for improvement, with the two nations being regional powerhouses and the two nations have come together to strengthen diplomatic and trade relations. Brazil has deployed science and technology to Nigeria for all sectors with special emphasis on agriculture under its Green Imperative scheme, aiming at harmonizing structures and building sustainable agricultural systems. Trade between these two nations is fully balanced at USD 700 for exports and imports to each and from each other both benefiting with no huge surplus on either side. Brazil aims to focus its development in Nigeria in Rice production, waste recycling, and housing. Nigeria occupies a critical position in ECOWAS while Brazil has a strategic position in west Africa and intends to use that advantage to strengthen trade relations between the two nations. South Africa – Ghana Relations between South Africa and Ghana were strengthened after the end of apartheid in 1994 and Ghana held its first democratic election in 1992 and trade grew tremendously and extensively. In 2019 their bilateral relations were deepened and elevated to presidential level with the signing of an agreement to establish the Bi-National Commission to be chaired by the president of South Africa and the president of Ghana, it was replacing the presidential joint cooperation commission. Trade between the countries grew with Ghana becoming the major export market for South African goods after Nigeria. Ghana exports high volumes of waste and scrap metals, iron, steel, and wood to South Africa. Economic relations between them are cordial and good with many South African businesses and small industries having been registered and set up in Ghana several being large an...