International
Xi Outlines Four Principles for Resolving Africa’s Conflicts
By Iyojo Ameh
Chinese President Xi Jinping has outlined four principles for resolving conflicts and other security challenges in Africa, stressing African leadership, respect for sovereignty, peaceful dialogue and long-term development.
Xi announced the principles on Tuesday during a meeting with Togo’s President of the Council of Ministers, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, who is on an official visit to China.
According to the Chinese leader, African countries should take the lead in resolving conflicts on the continent, while external parties should respect their sovereignty and support African-led solutions.
Xi said the first principle was to ensure that Africa-led approaches remained central to efforts to address regional crises.
“The African people are the true masters of Africa and should play a central role in regional affairs,” he said.
On the second principle, Xi called for fairness and justice, urging all parties involved in resolving conflicts to respect the United Nations Charter and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of affected countries.
He said adherence to international principles was essential to ensuring that efforts to resolve conflicts respected the rights of the countries concerned.
The Chinese president also advocated an end to hostilities through dialogue and peaceful engagement, arguing that military confrontation and unilateral sanctions could not fundamentally resolve disputes between countries.
He urged parties to pursue mutual respect, extensive consultations and compromise, while seeking common ground despite their differences.
Xi said the fourth principle was to address both the immediate consequences and the underlying causes of conflicts.
He explained that efforts to restore security should go hand in hand with long-term development strategies to prevent crises from recurring.
The principles come amid continuing security and political challenges in parts of Africa, where conflicts, instability and humanitarian emergencies have affected several countries.
Xi’s remarks reaffirmed China’s stated position that African countries should play a central role in determining solutions to the continent’s challenges, with international partners respecting their sovereignty and supporting peaceful settlement efforts.
The meeting with Gnassingbé also provided an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss China-Togo relations and broader cooperation between China and African countries.