African conflicts barely mentioned in Munich, but China is interested
The Munich Security Conference clearly showed that Africa needs new alliances.
The marginalization of Africa was once again evident at the Munich Security Conference held last week, the world’s premier forum on international security issues. Discussions were dominated by current conflicts in Ukraine, Venezuela, the Indo-Pacific region, and Greenland, leaving little room for Africa.
“In general, the Munich Security Conference focuses on military security issues due to the war in Ukraine and strained transatlantic relations,” explained Jakkie Cilliers, president of the ISS Board and director of African Futures and Innovation at ISS Today. “This priority tends to dominate and occupy all our reflections.”
Jakkie Cilliers and Ottilia Anna Maunganidze from ISS have been working for years to address this situation. They highlighted the devastation caused by the civil war in Sudan and violence in the Sahel at parallel events organized by ISS and the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF).
More than 50 armed conflicts are raging in Africa, representing about 40% of global conflicts, displacing 45 million people. Crime and law enforcement challenges worsen this instability.
The competence of a state as the main guarantor of its security is essential for consolidating its authority. Cilliers emphasized the need to rethink the role, orientation, training, and equipment of African militaries and police forces to address internal threats.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, China has become the top seller of new heavy weapons to Africa, surpassing Russia. China provided 21% of arms to Africa between 2020 and 2024, compared to Russia’s 19%.
The African perspective on international relations aligns closely with China’s principles of non-interference in internal affairs, contrasting starkly with the views expressed by Europeans and Americans at Munich.
