http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/37461/why_is_the_stability_of_africa_critical_to_europe#.UzgjmpWPKmQ
Why is the stability of Africa critical to Europe?
European must consider in a positive manner how to get Africa out of
poverty while contributing to the economic growth in Europe.
Michel Vandepoorter
30 March 2014, 8:30am
*This blog has been edited for brevity*
Malta was among the first European states to highlight that the southern
neighborhood could be a security concern for Europe. We all recall the
position it championed at the 1975 Helsinki Conference and France has
always shared this concern.In the recent years, Malta experienced frontline
consequences of the uprising in Libya and has also seen an increase in the
number of irregular migrants arriving on its soil, which is a direct
consequence of the instability in Africa.
It is for this reason that both shores of the Mediterranean have to be
fully engaged in a permanent dialogue, based on concrete cooperation. In
this regard, Malta and France are in full agreement and the French
authorities welcome the commitment of the Maltese government, underlined by
the 5+5 Summit in October 2012.
But the southern shore of the Mediterranean cannot be clearly distinguished
from the rest of Africa.
The persisting anarchy in Somalia, the political conflict in Eritrea and
the thousands of refugees crossing Libya and the Mediterranean to reach
Malta and Sicily in search of a safer and better future show that our
neighborhood is indeed the whole of Africa.
European countries are at present facing new outbreaks of instability in
Africa, which may have direct consequences for our continent through
movements of population, terrorist attacks, increase of arms or drug
trafficking.
The threat arising from the lasting situation of lawlessness in northern
Mali reached a new dimension as a result of the uprising in Libya.
Gaddafi's Legion was dissolved, thus releasing a large number of Tuaregs,
who helped themselves in the huge deposits of unattended armories before
returning to their region of origin.
This large-scale trafficking of arms has considerably strengthened the
National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, the main Tuareg movement,
as well as the Islamist groups AQIM and MUJWA. This occurred to such an
extent that in January 2013, these groups, reinforced by hundreds of
recruits and sophisticated armaments, threatened to take Mali's capital
city Bamako.
France intervened, with a force consisting of 4,000 troops, as it was
absolutely necessary to prevent Mali from becoming a zone of lawlessness, a
kind of Malistan, with a destabilizing effect for the entire region. This
intervention, in the framework of a UN mandate, successfully repressed
these Islamist groups back to their bases which were destroyed, disrupted
their networks and seized large quantities of weapons.
After having been aggravated by the uprising in Libya, the instability in
Mali has now further spread into Libya, similar to the movement of a
pendulum. The gathering of Islamists in southern Libya, many of whom
escaped the fights in northern Mali, is another additional factor of
instability for this neighboring country, with more direct implications for
Europe, as Malta is fully aware.
The situation in the Central African Republic was different: the country
was on the brink of a civil war, facing a serious humanitarian crisis and
the collapse of the state was causing extremely deadly clashes, fuelling
religious hatred between Muslims and Christians.
With the support of the African Union, the French contingent consisting of
1,600 men, recently increased to 2,000 men at the request of the Secretary
General of the United Nations, succeeded, albeit with great difficulty, to
reduce the fighting in Bangui, as well as successfully securing the route
to Cameroon in order to deliver humanitarian aid, which unfortunately is
still widely inadequate.
The Central African crisis, which has led to tragic population movements,
towards Chad in particular, cannot leave Europe indifferent. The
responsibility to protect, sanctioned by the UN, is a shared value of the
EU.
France which has the ability to rapidly deploy troops, intervened first in
Mali and in Central Africa Republic because it estimated, due to the long
history it shares with the African continent, that these crises could lead
to tragic humanitarian consequences.
That said, France does not intend to be "Africa's policeman". It does not
wish to act alone and relies on its European partners to engage with it,
along with the African Nations which are increasingly mobilized under the
African Union banner but are in need of further training, support and
equipment.
To cope with such crises, collective action is required which should result
in a political transition to restore the state of Law. To that purpose, the
involvement of the UN and the deployment of the UN security forces are
necessary.
Europe has shown with the Atalanta operation against piracy off Somalia
that it has the ability and the political tools to do it. The EU has taken
unanimously, on the 10th of February, the political decision to launch an
EUFOR CAR operation in the framework of its Common Security and Defense
policy. But we have to notice, with some concern, that the EU might be
unable to launch it on time, because of the disappointing participation of
those member states with significant armed forces.
***
Europe, as the main donor to Africa, plays its role. In 2011, the African
continent received 43% of the total of the EU aid funding, (notably from
the EDF and the Member States), that is to say 25.3 billion euros. The EU
member states must of course continue to ensure that this effort is
maintained since, because of budgetary constraints, the Official
development assistance tends to stagnate or even decrease. It would be
stupid for us Europeans to stop along the way.
***
The African continent was perceived for too long as the neglected one,
marginalized by the difficulty of escaping colonialism and impoverished by
centuries of exploitation. Today, Africa must be viewed as a dynamic
partner: the development of its mineral and agricultural wealth leads to
economic growth rates which many European countries can envy.
For the last ten years, sub-Saharan Africa has been the second zone of
economic growth in the world with an average rate of 5,5%. Four emergent
countries - South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana - concentrate 56% of the
sub-Saharan GDP. These countries are the most promising markets on the
continent.
China has fully assessed the potential of Africa and invests heavily in all
African countries notably those that can guarantee it long-term supplies of
oil and minerals. Why should Europe, as a historical partner of Africa,
hand it over to China?
***
There is a strong historical and cultural relationship between Europe and
Africa. Several EU member states, not only France, have a common history
with African States, of course with dark chapters, but also a mutual
understanding which today can provide a solid relationship with the
European Union. Africa can be a chance for Europe. As Europeans, we must
consider in a positive manner this partnership which could help getting a
whole continent out of poverty while contributing to the economic growth in
Europe.
Received on Sun Mar 30 2014 - 10:04:05 EDT