On a visit to China earlier this month, Dr. Tekeda Alemu, State Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke at the China Foreign Affairs University on the subject of "The World, Africa, China, and Ethiopia: China-Africa Relations.  

Dr. Tekeda began by suggesting that the international situation could be considered to be in something of a flux because of the world's economic balance, something, indeed, in which the role of China and other newly emerging countries was critical. In addition, there were other issues in which effective co-operation between states might be considered vital – climate change being one in which, for example, it is critical to develop an effective partnership with Africa, a continent which had now decided to speak with a single voice. Africa, after making little progress in the 1980s and 1990s, had in the last few years developed an encouraging trajectory. It might still take time to reach maturity but the continent had already become a focus of attention b y others. The relationship between China and Africa was now being scrutinized elsewhere, and often, in fact, in a way which excluded the African perspective. Disappointingly, the attitude of some towards the continent still remained colonial and condescending.  

Dr. Tekeda dealt with four inter-related themes: the world situation, the situation in Africa, the role of China and the situation in Ethiopia. He emphasized that all states are driven by consideration of national interest, China, the US, Ethiopia or any other African state. The most that one can aspire to get from others is a partnership established on the basis of mutual interest and mutual advantage. It was therefore right, he felt, to be skeptical when some appear to be more concerned about human rights or governance in say, Ethiopia, than Ethiopians themselves. One must suspect that the national interests of the critics might lie behind such claims of concern.  

Of course, all states do have common interests - and the world has largely become a global village. There are challenges facing all. Climate change is one, poverty and ensuring food security are others. These affected the developing world most seriously, but their resolution was in the common interest of humanity. They needed a collective and collaborative approach, dictated by the necessity to ensure the viability of the international community. A similar response was needed to keep extremism at bay, to fight terrorism and fanaticism. 

The world was in the process of real transformation, and moving towards multi-polarity. This meant for Africa a need to broaden contacts, through, for example, the Forums of Co-operation – of which perhaps the most effective and dynamic was the Forum for China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC). Now was the time, in fact, for Africa to be treated as one of the poles in this new multi-polar world, with its capacity to contribute to a healthy and harmonious world development, as a real partner in the search for global solutions. This was what Prime Minister Meles suggested at the last African Union Summit. Dr. Tekeda said he was hopeful that this would be embraced by China and others.   

China, he noted, had made available to Africa, and the developing world, possibilities for consolidating sovereign choices and independently chosen paths of development. The emergence of China as a real factor in international economic co-operation had been a major asset for Africa. This was very clear in the encouraging developments in Ethiopia itself. Ethiopia had, of course, other partners and continued to attach great importance to such partnerships. But China's role had been so beneficial, Dr. Tekeda stressed, that it was in Ethiopia's interest to deepen this relationship in every way possible. Rapid economic growth was a national security issue for Ethiopia, and not just for Ethiopia but the whole of Africa. That was why China was so important to Africa. However, any relationship must be reciprocal; the interest of China must be taken on board. The future, he underlined, lay in the promotion of mutual interest and this was a principle that must apply to all countries that seek the friendship of the African continent.