From July 9th to 11th, NATO held a summit commemorating the 75th anniversary of the alliance’s founding in Washington, D.C., with heads of state and government leaders from 32 member countries and partner nations in attendance. During the summit, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issued a warning to NATO leaders, urging them not to ignore the threats posed by China and Russia in Africa.
According to a report by Bloomberg on Thursday, Meloni showed a map highlighting the influence of China and Russia in Africa during a meeting held in Washington on Wednesday, July 10th. She emphasized that while NATO’s focus has largely been on the Russia-Ukraine conflict in Eastern Europe, the potential threats in the southern region should not be overlooked. Meloni stressed that NATO cannot remain indifferent to the challenges and opportunities in the African continent.
The U.S. State Department has previously accused Moscow and Beijing of engaging in propaganda in Africa to weaken the influence of Western countries. Other concerning issues include Russia fueling anti-immigrant sentiments in Europe through migrant influxes and exacerbating political turmoil in the Sahel region.
China has provided hundreds of billions of dollars in loans and grants to African countries for infrastructure development through its Belt and Road Initiative, establishing significant influence in many African nations. The 2022 African Youth Generation Survey report indicates that China has surpassed the United States in influence, becoming the most influential country in Africa.
Both the European Union and the United States aim to address this competition, referred to as the “global battle of offers,” by providing their own infrastructure projects for developing countries.
On Wednesday, NATO released a statement stating that the alliance’s “southern neighbors provide an opportunity for cooperation on common concerns” and adopted a stronger, more strategic, and results-oriented action plan, which will be regularly updated.
The statement further mentioned that NATO would soon appoint a special representative for its southern neighbors.
Due to Italy’s geographical location in Southern Europe, Meloni sees Africa as a core pillar of her foreign policy. At the G7 summit held in Italy last month, the Meloni government advocated for an expansion of food and energy security initiatives with the African continent, aiming to develop critical infrastructure and promote cooperation between the Italian government and African governments.
These initiatives are part of Meloni’s broader efforts to enhance and expand Italy’s influence on the world stage, aiming to position Rome as a hub between Western countries and Africa.
China’s active investments in African countries began with Xi Jinping’s foreign policy centered on the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, aiming to enter Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, and Europe through the “land” and “maritime” routes, utilizing idle domestic capital and labor markets while countering Western powers led by the United States to expand China’s influence.
China provides capital to developing countries, allowing Chinese companies and laborers to engage in local infrastructure projects such as highways, bridges, and ports. Some impoverished African nations have eagerly accepted these projects. However, criticisms have emerged regarding China’s “debt-trap diplomacy” as governments struggle with mounting debts or inability to repay.
Italy was the only G7 country that had joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative. After taking office last year, Meloni announced Italy’s withdrawal from the initiative, citing that it did not bring significant benefits to Italy.