FOCAC Peace and Security Issues

Saferworld has just published a short document titled "China-Africa FOCAC Summit: How China Can Help African Countries Advance Peace in the 2030 Agenda."  The authors underscore the importance of  the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and how China can apply at the FOCAC Summit the peace and security goals in Africa.  In particular, Saferworld urges China to move from reacting to security challenges in Africa to greater emphasis on engaging in conflict prevention.      

Chinese Companies in South Sudan

Saferworld, an independent, international organization based in London and aimed at preventing violent conflict, is engaging with China and Chinese companies to promote a conflict sensitive approach to large infrastructure and mineral extraction projects in Africa.  By January 2013, about 100 Chinese companies had registered in South Sudan, mainly working in oil production and infrastructure construction.  Saferworld, in a 30 August 2013 piece titled "Conflict Sensitivity in South Sudan: Ensuring Economic Development Supports Peace," comments on its efforts so far to encourage Chinese companies to interact in a way that supports peace.   

Somalia: the Role of Civil Society

On 7 May 2013 the Federal Government of Somalia and the UK Government will co-host a second international conference in London on Somalia.  Many Somalis believe that decisions which directly affect their lives are driven by an international agenda, and involve little local consultation.  This lack of ownership contributes to a sense of alienation from the decision-making process. 

Saferworld, an independent London-based organization working to prevent violent conflict, published on 26 April 2013 a briefing titled "Civil Society Voices: Recommendations for the May 2013 London Conference on Somalia."  The briefing summarizes the results of two consultations concerning themes to be discussed at the London Conference with the Puntland Non-State Actors Association in Garowe and the Somalia Southern and Central Non-State Actors group in Mogadishu. 

China and South Sudan

Thomas Wheeler, an adviser at Saferworld, wrote a brief piece on 25 April 2013 titled "China's Economic Cooperation with South Sudan Needs To Be Conflict-Sensitive."  He argued that Chinese companies in South Sudan need to be more sensitive to conflict in the way they manage risks, protect workers, safeguard investments and protect their reputations.

China's Relations with Sudan and South Sudan

The Winter 2012 issue of Global Review, which is published by the Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS), is devoted to China's relations with Sudan and South Sudan.  The UK non-governmental organization, Saferworld, collaborated with SIIS on this project.

Articles include:

• China's Relations with Two Sudans: From "One Country, Two Systems" to "Two Countries, One System" by Zhang Chun.
• China in the International Conflict-management: Darfur as a Case by Jian Junbo.
• China's Role in Sudan and South Sudan Peacekeeping Operations by Xue Lei.
• Development through Peace: Could China's Economic Cooperation with South Sudan be More Conflict-sensitive? by Thomas Wheeler.
• China, Sudan and South Sudan Relations by Leben Nelson Moro.
• The History of South Sudan's Chinese Future by Daniel Large.

Click here to access the entire issue.

China, South Sudan and FOCAC

Saferworld, an independent non-governmental organization based in London that works to prevent and reduce violent conflict, published in August a series of short papers dealing with China and South Sudan.

The first by Steven Kuo, a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, is titled "Not Looking to Lead: Beijing's View of the Crisis between the two Sudans." The second by Laura Barber, PhD candidate at the London School of Economics, and Xiao Yuhua, researcher at the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University in eastern China, is titled "Win-Win? China's Economic Engagement with South Sudan." The third by Thomas Wheeler, project coordinator of Saferworld's China Program, is titled "Development through Peace: Could China's Economic Co-operation with South Sudan Be More Conflict-Sensitive?" Wheeler concludes that together with other players, China can focus attention through continuing pressure on both sides to de-escalate the conflict, creating sustainable channels for dialogue and helping identify immediate measures to defuse hot issues.

Click here to read the essays.

Click here to access a Saferworld blog post titled "Changing perceptions: reflections on the fifth Forum on China-Africa Co-operation."