The US is using the Washington summit to rein in China’s growing Russian influence in Africa

US President Joe Biden welcomed 49 leaders of African countries and the African Union (AU) and representatives of more than 300 organizations to Washington this week for the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit. The purpose of the event is to “deepen the many partnerships we have on the African continent,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said. Behind this, however, is a growing influence China And RussiaIt has forced the West to take the lead AmericaTo expand investments in the region.

Note Moscow’s presence in Africa Especially in the militaryWith the increasingly strong performance of mercenaries Wagner group Several African countries have signed partnerships aimed at combating Islamic extremism.

According to Washington’s strategy for sub-Saharan Africa, a document published in August this year, “Russia views the region as a permissive environment for parastatals and private military companies, often fomenting instability for strategic and financial gain.”

However, it is China that deserves the most American attention. By New Silk Road (BRI, its abbreviation in English, Belt and Road Initiative), an initiative implemented by the President in 2013 Xi JinpingBeijing has invested billions in energy, infrastructure and other projects in African countries.

The White House says the Asian country sees sub-Saharan Africa as “an important arena for challenging the rules-based international order, advancing its own narrow commercial and geopolitical interests, undermining transparency and openness, and undermining U.S. relations with the people.” Governments”.

Debt trap

The “debt trap” falls under the purview of “commercial interests,” a predatory strategy by Beijing that creates global distrust and victimization among Africans. When beneficiaries of BRI loans fail to pay installments, the Chinese government uses default as a legal justification to take over management of projects it has financed. Thus, it extends the tentacles Chinese Communist Party (PCC) by controlling critical infrastructure.

During this week’s summit, the issue came back into the spotlight and prompted the Chinese ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, to speak out. “China’s financial and investment assistance to Africa is not a trap. This is an advantage,” he said, according to the company. Reuters🇧🇷 “China is not the largest lender to African debt. China’s debt is only a small amount.

For Biden, the moment is perfect to try to steal China’s place in Africa. “America is betting on the future of Africa,” he said at the opening of the event. “When Africa succeeds, America succeeds. Obviously, the whole world succeeds.

Billionaire investment

Currently, Beijing invests four times more than Washington in the African continent. Eurasia group🇧🇷 Last year China-Africa trade was US$254 billion, US$64.3 billion.

Faced with such numbers, the president made it clear during the summit that he wanted to reduce the disadvantage. He plans to invest US$55 billion in new business partnerships to combat food insecurity and climate change. It also pledged to support the AU’s entry as a permanent member of the G20, a grouping of the world’s 19 largest economies and formed in 2008. European union (HUH).

Despite the money involved, the British newspaper says that this last project is the one that most appeals to Africans. Guardian🇧🇷 Macky Sall, President of Senegal and currently leading the AU, said that with the entry of the African Union, the G20 “will now represent the views of 54 additional members, mostly low-income countries and about 80% of the world’s population”.

In July, in an article published on the media platform, he had already contested the absence of UA from the group Devex🇧🇷 “The G20 compromises its effectiveness and influence by excluding a large part of humanity and the global economy,” he said at the time. “All in all, including the AU in the G20 is a viable idea whose time has come and it will benefit the G20, Africa and the world.”