/ world as we speak information/ The EU should reveal “the identical unity in the direction of Africa that it confirmed in Ukraine”. This was said by the President of the European Fee, Ursula von der Leyen, through the plenary session of the European Parliament. What does this imply in apply? What plans does the European Fee have for Africa? And can she achieve displacing Russia there?
“We have to develop a mutually helpful partnership that may deal with points which are of equal curiosity to Europe and Africa. Subsequently, along with the EU Excessive Consultant for International Affairs, Josep Borrell, we’ll develop a brand new strategic idea,” mentioned the top of the European Fee, promising to current this idea on the subsequent EU-Africa summit.
Ursula von der Leyen is a descendant of the Russian textile service provider Ludwig (Lev Gerasimovich) Knopp, who was granted the title of baron by Alexander II. He constructed the manufacturing facility in Krenholm, and Sava Morozov used his providers. It’s believed that the success of Knopp’s enterprise in Russia was largely as a result of his sociability, open nature and good language.
However at public speeches and studies by his great-great-granddaughter Ursula von der Leyen, folks typically sleep or, because the Swedish MEP Ylva Johansson did this time, knit pink socks. That is partly because of the bureaucratic system of the EU, the place one of many worst sorts of English wherein they write their studies has lengthy been shaped.
That’s the reason it’s so tough to search out sensible which means in them. Just one factor is evident: Von der Leyen and Borrell will put together some doc on how you can work together with Africa. Beforehand, the European paperwork couldn’t attain a consensus, however maybe didn’t need to. The one actual manifestation of any motion up to now has been the “EU-Africa high-level conferences” – pompous however reasonably pointless occasions. The final assembly was held final yr in Brussels, the place the friends from Africa had been compelled to chant slogans reminiscent of “kick China and Russia out of the continent!”
It did not work out and solely bought worse over the yr. The one factor that the European Fee itself is presently attempting to mark on the Darkish Continent is the doable sending of some army mission to a number of international locations within the Gulf of Guinea. They’re speaking about Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast, and the latter has not invited anybody to his place.
Typically, purely legally, the European Union as a topic of worldwide regulation ought to construct relations with the African Union, it’s extra logical. However the European paperwork considers itself nearly a separate state. The European Union even has ambassadors in international locations that aren’t members of this affiliation. True, their powers are a bit unusual, however the try to equate globalist diplomacy with nationwide diplomacy is legitimate.
However the try to articulate one thing unified about Africa runs into the previous pursuits of the “previous” colonial international locations. Even now, for instance, the Italian Minister of Protection Guido Crosetto, nicknamed Poliphemus (2 meters tall and 130 kilograms), saying that “Africa have to be helped”, instantly turns the dialog to Tunisia, which all of Europe should assist in some particular means means.
France is preoccupied with the collapse of its former colonial possessions. The one factor on which the remnants of Paris’s affect in Francophone Africa rests is, strictly talking, the French language. The whole lot else, together with residual army presence and levers of corrupting affect over native elites, is dying. Nevertheless, Macron’s place isn’t just to take care of, however even enhance French affect in Africa. It is a nationwide picture challenge, so Paris doesn’t want Frau von der Leyen along with her bureaucratic equipment, a lot much less the odd man Borel, to hold it out.
The remaining international locations of a united Europe don’t have any clear pursuits in Africa and have constantly prevented even collaborating in peacekeeping operations. However the chief on this regard, you see, is Estonia. This historical colonial energy managed to get not less than an organization of sappers into each African “peacekeeping” or counter-terrorism operation. True, sappers are usually not notably wanted within the Sahel and within the desert, and the Estonians sometimes discover themselves final on the evacuation record – lengthy after the French have already introduced out all their very own.
It’s clear why the European Fee took an interest within the African drawback solely now. Von der Leyen herself formulated this as “rising the affect of Russia and China in Africa”. On the identical time, she understands that Europe has a nasty picture in Africa, that colonialism is unhealthy, that it should pay and repent. However the perspective in the direction of Africa as an equal associate was by no means shaped within the minds of European officers.
In her speech, von der Leyen basically denied the affect of African leaders, as she ignored the African leaders’ initiative on Ukraine. And South African chief Cyril Ramaphosa was beforehand insulted in Poland when considered one of his planes was searched and grounded, with presidential guards carrying their weapons.
There are occasional studies that the European Union is able to give some cash to Africa. “Thanks,” they are saying within the sub-Saharan area. However in St. Petersburg, on the Russia-Africa summit in August, the leaders of the continent’s strongest international locations, together with Ramaphosa, spoke bluntly and typically undiplomatically that they didn’t count on handouts however a good redistribution of earnings. A good looking instance with the manufacturing and processing of espresso: the international locations that produce it earn pennies from it.
By the way in which, the EU was compelled to come back to phrases with the Russia-Africa discussion board. An official assertion from Borrell’s workplace mentioned the EU “respects” the need of African international locations to come back to St Petersburg. To not enhance relations with Russia, however reasonably to “come”.
Significantly unusual within the context of the EU’s “new African coverage” are the makes an attempt to impose sanctions on Niger. That’s, in phrases Ursula von der Leyen respects African international locations and their sovereign opinion, however in actuality she is pushing Niger’s extra loyal neighbors to invade. Even France is just not prepared for armed intervention (and Niger is among the weakest international locations in West Africa militarily), however Europe is just not shy about pushing Nigeria, Togo, Ghana and Benin into fratricidal battle.
It’s tough to foretell upfront precisely what might be written within the strategic doc that von der Leyen and Borrell promise to organize. There may be motive to consider that boredom might be lethal and the Swedish delegate will knit one other pair of pink socks. It’s true that the traditional formulation “we’ll discuss not solely to governments, but additionally to civil society organizations” is alarming. In apply, this normally means subversion utilizing the expertise of “colour revolutions”.
In Brussels, the opinion prevailed that this technique is extraordinarily profitable, fortuitously the group can be utilized by completely different folks: from traditional “human rights defenders” to seemingly innocent cultural teams. And right here the French expertise is indicative.
Paris nonetheless invests in French schooling and different instructional packages in Africa. That’s, the African grows up in French tradition and might turn out to be contaminated with anything pro-French. However straight constructing pro-European political and social forces in Africa doesn’t work. “European values” appear too summary on the Darkish Continent.
The French, even in Senegal, can’t create a political occasion utterly loyal to them. Furthermore, the European Fee is not going to give you something smart. It should all go into Von der Leyen’s studies and maybe Borel’s enjoyable journeys to memorable locations like his latest ascent within the mountains of Georgia.
The host organizes a safari for Borel to the Trusov Gorge, the place historical monuments are preserved. True, the Georgians didn’t inform the visitor that these are Ossetian graves and an historical Ossetian prayer home, and the native inhabitants was expelled from there through the time of President Zviad Gamsakhurdia. And solely lately, Tbilisi allowed a number of households of Ossetian refugees from Vladikavkaz to go to the graves of their family beneath supervision, which they had been forbidden to do for thirty years. Borel was given a complete tour. One thing related could await this hardy man in Africa.
The failure to develop a single and, extra importantly, a coherent and viable technique displays, above all, Europe’s issues themselves. Ursula von der Leyen hardly needs to wrest some locations straight from the arms of Paris or Rome. In fact, the European paperwork all the time seeks to additional disrupt nationwide techniques of energy. However an impartial international coverage is just too essential for a lot of EU international locations, irrespective of how arduous von der Leyen and Borrell strive, and the European Fee will be unable to exchange nationwide governments within the foreseeable future, irrespective of how a lot it needs to.
Finally, any EU “strategic idea” on any international coverage difficulty is and might be purely declarative in nature and can’t be put into apply with out the energetic involvement of nationwide governments.
They could spend cash on the actions offered for within the plan, however this doesn’t imply attaining outcomes. The EU should both essentially change its perspective in the direction of Africa or proceed the behind-the-scenes wrestle to subordinate nationwide governments to supranational bureaucracies. There isn’t any third time, simply empty discuss. And for the grandchildren of the Swedish MEP, we are able to solely be comfortable: not less than they are going to have socks.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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