Malta was among the first European states to highlight that the southern neighbourhood could be a security concern for Europe. We all recall the position it championed at the 1975 Helsinki Conference. France has always shared this concern. In 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.
But the southern shore of the Mediterranean cannot be 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 Italy in search of a safer and better future show that our neighborhood is indeed the whole of Africa.
European countries are facing new outbreaks of instability in Africa which may have direct consequences for our continent through movements of population, terror 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. After the dissolution of Gaddafi’s Legion, a large number of Tuaregs helped themselves to the huge deposits of unattended armouries before returning to their region of origin. This large-scale trafficking of arms has considerably strengthened the main Tuareg movement, as well as the Islamist groups AQIM and MUJWA.
France intervened as it was absolutely ne-cessary to prevent Mali from becoming a zone of lawlessness 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. Their networks were disrupted and large quantities of weapons seized.
After having been aggravated by the uprising in Libya, the instability in Mali has now spread back into Libya, similar to the movement of a pendulum. The gathering of Islamists in southern Libya is another additional factor of instability for this neighboring country, with more direct implications for Europe.
Why should Europe, as a historical partner of Africa, hand it over to China?
The situation in the Central African Republic was different: the country was on the brink of a civil war and facing a serious humanitarian crisis. Due to the collapse of the state, extremely deadly clashes occurred, fuelling religious hatred between Muslims and Christians. With the support of the African Union, the French contingent succeeded, albeit with great difficulty, to reduce the fighting in Bangui and to secure 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 the 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 mobilised under the African Union banner. To cope with such crises, collective action is required which should result in a political transition to restore the state of law. The involvement of the UN and the deployment of the UN security forces are necessary. The EU has taken unanimously, on February 10, the political decision to launch an EUFOR CAR operation which has to be rapidly deployed.
In the long-term the best protection against instability in Africa obviously remains development.
In this respect, Europe, as the main donor to Africa, plays a role. In 2011, the African continent received 43 per cent of the total of EU aid funding. EU member states must of course continue to ensure that this effort is maintained in spite of budgetary constraints: it would be stupid for us Europeans to stop along the way.
We must also ensure that this assistance is at its most effective and that the means available follow the right goals. Besides education and training, the focus on democratic governance should be increased and more efficient procedures should be found. Europeans can rely on civil society which increasingly organises itself and has a growing influence in politics.
This development assistance should eventually lead to a true economic partnership between Europe and Africa. There is a natural continuum between both continents and this association should be strengthened in order to compete with Asia and America. Recent developments in Africa’s economy open new prospects in that respect.
The African continent was perceived for too long as the neglected one. Today, Africa must be viewed as a dynamic partner: for the last 10 years, sub-Saharan Africa has been the second zone of economic growth in the world with an average rate of 5.5 per cent. Ghana’s achievements or the speed with which Ivory Coast has recovered from 10 years of a serious political crisis are examples of this potential. Even if achievements are unevenly distributed, in all Africa regions economic growth dynamics have appeared. Western Africa has the higher rate: 6.7 per cent in 2013 and 7.4 per cent expected for 2014 (OECD figures).
Countries which had nothing or very little have since focused their efforts on the exploitation of important mineral resources that can be the basis for genuine economic development. Of course, it has to be ensured that the wealth created is properly and fairly distributed and that taxation would be adapted to guarantee to the state the fiscal resources needed to invest and develop.
China has fully assessed the potential of Africa and invests heavily in all African countries. Why should Europe, as a historical partner of Africa, hand it over to China?
Africa can be a chance for Europe. As Europeans, we must positively consider this partnership which could help get a whole continent out of poverty while contributing to the economic growth in Europe.
Michel Vandepoorter is the Ambassador of France to Malta.