China’s stand over Dafur has changed, David Shinn

By Hallelujah Lulie

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia- Contrary to the silent nature of Chinese politics and its non-interference policy in the internal affairs of the African states, the stand of China on Darfur has significantly changed in the past few months, former US ambassador to Ethiopia, David Shinn said.

On his presentation on China - Africa relations at the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce hall yesterday Thursday, June 28, 2007 the diplomat who served as an ambassador of the United States to Ethiopia from 1996-99 said China usually works quietly behind the scenes and its call on Darfur’s condition is huge.

“China is making a major effort to reach out to African countries mainly with business and trade relations with some political implications. The Chinese need oil, minerals and timber from African nations to keep the momentum of their economy,” he said only five countries with oil, minerals and timber contribute 85% of the total African export to China.
“The search for raw materials is the single most important link in China -African relations,” he said.

“Most African leaders went to Beijing to attend last year’s China -African cooperation conference than the AU summit,” he said. This shows how the African leaders are interested on the tie. He said the interest is mutual that the Chinese president, premier, minister of foreign affairs and other ministers constantly travel all over Africa and since 1992 there is a trend that the first visit of China’s Minster of foreign affairs is a tour to Africa.

Shinn who said that only five countries in Africa i.e. Burkina Faso, Malawi, Sao tome and Principe, Swaziland and Gambia do not have diplomatic relations with China, said that China showed an amazing committed moves in the past years by opening embassies and assigning ambassadors for the rest of 48 nations in the continent except Somalia. “Neither the United States nor any country in Europe does that”, he said.

The diplomat who worked for the department of state for more than 37 years and who has been a diplomat in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan and envoy for the horn politics for a long time said, “Chinese are minimizing the negative and they are expanding and moving quickly in Africa fixing problems and overcoming challenges and make changes when problem arises.”

David H. Shinn served as Ambassador to Ethiopia from July 1996 to 1999. Previously he was Director of the Office of East African Affairs in Washington. Ambassador Shinn also served as U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso from 1987 to 1990.
Ambassador Shinn has held numerous appointments in Africa including Deputy Chief of Mission in Khartoum, Yaoundé, and Nouakchott. He also served as Political Officer in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, and as Vice-Consul in Beirut, Lebanon.

Shinn is currently a professor at George Washington University, will make a tour in African nations like Sudan, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Swaziland. •