In what ways are Chinese actors aiding in conflict mediation and peaceful development efforts and how are they exacerbating conflicts and undermining human security in Africa? Three early career African researchers presented new research based in Tunisia, Cameroon, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to unpack some answers.
China is now an important peace and security actor on the African continent; for example, it is the largest contributor of UN Peacekeeping troops among the permanent members of the UN Security Council and has played an active role in conflict mediation in several countries to date. However, Chinese actors have also been accused of exacerbating conflicts and undermining human security in many parts of the continent. Research and analysis on these interactions is often dominated by non-African voices. To help fill this gap, the panelists participated in a year-long program with the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), designed to support and strengthen research and writing skills of African early-career scholars. The five presenters on this panel presented their new research based in South Africa, the ECOWAS region, the Horn of Africa, and Tunisia.
This event was co-sponsored by Georgetown University’s Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues and Africa-China Initaitive.
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Devante Duncan (panelist) is a conflict, peace, and security researcher and regional security analyst who authored “Navigating Influence: Unpacking China’s Expanding Economic Footprint and it’s Implications for Peace, Security, and Governance in the ECOWAS Region.
Ibrahim Sakawa Magara (panelist) is a post-doctoral research fellow at the Centre for Peace and Security (CPS) at Coventry University. He is the author of “Governing Peace in a Multipolar Era: China, IGAD, and Hybrid Orders in the Horn of Africa.”
Hasna Nagga (panelist) is a student at University of Tunis El Manar.
Obert Hodzi (discussant) is a senior lecturer in politics at the University of Liverpool.
Henry Tugendhat (discussant) is the Soref Fellow in the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.