China has committed to build a $32 million headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) in Abuja, Nigeria to entrench Beijing’s influence on regional affairs.
The move is seen as a way for China to gain a foothold in a region that is traditionally seen as within the Western sphere of influence. Nigeria is a key country in the region, and the new community will be a way for China to boost its presence and influence in the area. The community will also be a platform for China to deepen its economic ties with the region, and to expand its market access.
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. Founded in 1975, Ecowas has a mandate to promote economic integration and co-operation between its member states, as well as to promote their collective self-reliance.
The Chinese have already broken ground for the head offices of the Ecowas secretariat, which China says is a “donation of friendship”. The project is part of China’s efforts to boost its economic and political ties with Africa. When completed, the new secretariat will house the offices of the Ecowas Commission, the regional body that coordinates economic and political activities in West Africa.
Since the early 2000s, Beijing has been working to increase its presence in Africa. This has included both economic investment and the building of infrastructure. In 2003, Beijing even built the headquarters of the African Union (AU). Across Africa, there are several institutional buildings that have been built by Beijing, including the parliament building in Harare, Zimbabwe.
This increased presence in Africa is part of Beijing’s larger strategy of seeking to build relationships with other countries in order to increase its own influence on the world stage. By investing in Africa and building up its infrastructure, Beijing is hoping to gain a stronger foothold in the continent and to build closer ties with its people.
In January 2012, African heads of state and governments met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to commission a new $200 million 12-storey secretariat donated by China to serve as the organisation’s headquarters. The new building is a significant upgrade from the organisation’s previous headquarters, and will help the organisation to better carry out its mandate of promoting peace and security in Africa.
CDC headquarters
Africa has been a top priority for China’s foreign policy in recent years. In addition to cash gifts and aid, China has also invested heavily in infrastructure projects on the continent. The most notable of these is the $140 million Zimbabwe parliament, which was commissioned in July 2022.
China is also building the Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC) headquarters, which is expected to be completed early next year. The CDC is an important pan-African organisation that works to prevent and control the spread of diseases. The new headquarters will be a state-of-the-art facility that will help the CDC to better carry out its mission.
China has been investing in Africa for many years as part of its strategy to build strong relationships with African countries. These investments have been made in a variety of sectors, including infrastructure, mining, agriculture, and more. These investments have helped to improve the lives of many people in Africa and have also allowed China to gain a better understanding of the continent.
In what it calls “strengthening friendship, solidarity and cooperation for a new era of common development’’ with Africa, China, aside from loans, has doled out various forms of financial assistance and made donations to cushion the continent against effects of health-related crises.
According to China’s Foreign Affairs ministry, Beijing had delivered over $3 billion out of the $10 billion of credit facilities pledged to African financial institutions, and nearly $2.5 billion in loans were channelled to Africa’s priority programmes.
The ministry added that China’s import of African goods within seven months reached $70.6 billion.
In a publication released on September 19, 2022, the ministry said Chinese companies have invested $2.17 billion in Africa and “we are prepared to, through the IMF’s two trusts, re-channel 10 billion US dollars of its SDR to Africa, and encourage the IMF to direct China’s contributions to Africa”.
Vaccines
It said China has provided 189 million doses of vaccines to 27 African countries and a joint production of vaccines in Africa now has an annual capacity of about 400 million doses.
The communist country has also engaged in a number of projects in solar, wind and other clean energy sources, including the Kafue Lower Gorge Power Station in Zambia.
“In countries including Botswana and Burkina Faso, we are carrying out South-South cooperation for addressing climate change.
“In Seychelles, we are building a low-carbon demonstration zone. In Madagascar and Mozambique, we have supported their response to hurricanes, and helped enhance capacity for disaster preparedness and relief,’’ the Chinese ministry reported.
China has also started assisting Africa in accessing international diplomatic facilities, including the support to AU in joining the G20, and supporting Uganda in hosting a successful high-level meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement.
The construction of the Ecowas new secretariat by China is just one of the projects meant to assist Africa, having watched the West African bloc struggle with inadequate facilities at its headquarters in Maitama district of Abuja.
Ground-breaking ceremony
At least three West African leaders — Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and his counterparts from Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone — as well as the president of the Ecowas Commission Omar Alieu Touray and Chinese ambassador to Nigeria Cui Jianchun, presided over the ground-breaking ceremony.
According to the host, President Buhari, the building, which should be completed in 26 months, will house the three major Ecowas Institutions — the Ecowas Commission, the Community Court of Justice and the Parliament.
“We have waited for this day since 10th of July 2019 when Ecowas and the People’s Republic of China signed an implementation agreement for this diplomatic gift to the West African states.
“The new complex [will] represent the unity and brotherhood of the member-states, as well as signify a re-commitment to progress and regional integration. It will be our home and a regional rallying point,” President Buhari said.
The new Ecowas secretariat is being built by Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation.
“To sponsor and construct the new Ecowas headquarters is a vivid reflection of China’s support to the work of Ecowas as well as the traditional friendship between China and the West African countries,” said the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun.