From Pivot to Symmetry Integrating Africa in the Rebalance to Asia
Abstract
Already not a priority in American Strategy, Africa seems bound to suffer from the US pivot to the Asia-Pacific from 2014 onwards. Indeed, the debate still rages to determine whether the focus on Asia will be significantly increased. While broadcasting a rebalance of its diplomatic and military resources, the US administration also assures that American commitment to other regions will not falter. Given present budget constraints, this assertion appears unsustainable. The US necessarily has to prioritize its involvements across the globe in an environment of finite resources. In this regard, the subsequent international leadership void seems particularly striking in Africa. Meanwhile, China has conducted its own pivot towards African resources. Considered as a predation for some analysts or as an alternative development model for others, the interdependency between Beijing and Africa has now reached levels that exceed simple economic relations to enter the realm of grand strategy. Based on non-conditional aid and bilateral agreements, Chinese interactions with African states challenge the United States in terms of interests and values. If the Washington consensus may appear threatened, strategies to contain China in Africa are both illusory and unproductive. On the contrary, identifying Africa's development as the primal center of gravity inevitably leads to a liberal approach which Chinas current policy clearly dismisses. US liberal objectives must therefore be implemented through a multilateral strategy capitalizing on burden sharing and distributive leadership among allies and African partners, avoiding the pitfalls of bluntly and unilaterally imposed ideals. They also must include China as an enabler, controlled by a web of overt agreements, instead of negating fruitlessly its contributing power.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 13, 2014
- Accession Number
- AD1019171
Entities
People
- Pierre Gaudilliere
Organizations
- Air War College