New Blueprint for Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa
擘画非洲之角新蓝图，共创和平发展新机遇
Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Ma Xinmin Publishes an Signature Article on Brown Land
驻苏丹大使马新民在《褐色大地报》发表署名文章
5 April 2022
2022年4月5日
During his visit to three countries of Eritrea, Kenya and Comorin at the beginning of 2022, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi formally put forth the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa which has been warmly received by Sudan and other countries in the region. Xue Bing, first Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has recently paid visits to multiple countries in the Horn of Africa region to maintain communication and coordination on how to advance its implementation. As a common friend to the Horn of Africa countries, China has always been committed to promoting peace, stability and development in this region. To help you gain a bettering understanding of the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa, I would like to introduce more information in this article.
2022年伊始，王毅国务委员兼外长在访问厄立特里亚、肯尼亚、科摩罗三国期间代表中方正式提出“非洲之角和平发展构想”，立即得到包括苏丹在内的地区国家热烈欢迎和积极响应。近日，首任中国外交部非洲之角事务特使薛冰访问非洲之角地区多国，就推进落实构想同各国沟通协调。作为非洲之角国家的共同朋友，中国始终致力于促进该地区和平、稳定和发展，我愿借此机会向大家进一步介绍“非洲之角和平发展构想”有关内容。
I. Renew Friendship to Serve the Common Good
一、栉风沐雨见肝胆，为济百川再扬帆
The Horn of Africa countries and China are connected by a lasting bond of friendship. As early as Ming Dynasty, the Chinese navigator Zheng He led fleets to Somalia, Kenya and other countries where they demonstrated kindness and friendship of the Chinese people. As we know, the Horn of Africa is a subregion of the African continent with geographically strategic importance, abundant resources and enormous potential. China always puts the emphasis on friendship and cooperation with countries in the region. The two main axes of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway and the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway built by Chinese enterprises are now playing their role in facilitating the economic development in the Horn of Africa region. Efforts are also underway to accelerate the Belt and Road cooperation along the coasts of the Red Sea and of East Africa. This forms a development framework of “two axes plus two coastal areas” that will serve as a main driver of regional development in its journey toward prosperity. The Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa proposed by China is expected to play a bigger role in promoting regional peace and development and help this region achieve peace, prosperity and long-term stability. This is the original intention and ultimate goal of such outlook.
非洲之角地区同中国友好交往源远流长。早在明代，中国航海家郑和的船队就曾到达索马里、肯尼亚等国，带来了中国人民的友谊。非洲之角作为非洲大陆重要次区域板块，战略位置独特，资源禀赋丰富，发展潜力巨大。中国高度重视发展同地区各国的友好合作，中企承建的蒙内铁路和亚吉铁路两条主轴正在助力非洲之角经济发展，“一带一路”倡议正在红海沿岸和东非沿岸加速落地，“两轴+两岸”发展框架正成为促进地区发展的“发展之轴”和“繁荣之路”。此次中方提出“非洲之角和平发展构想”，旨在为促进地区和平与发展发挥更大作用，推动该地区实现长治久安与和平繁荣，这是中方提出构想的出发点和落脚点。
II. Forge Unity and Cooperation to Strive for Revival
二、坚定不移拒干扰，团结合作谋振兴
China insists that Africa belongs to the people of Africa and African issues should be determined by the people of Africa. The core of the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa is to support regional countries to get rid of major powers’ geopolitical competition and firmly take the path of unity and self-improvement, thus making sure the region’s future remains firmly in their own hands. Specifically, the main content of the outlook has three aspects.
中方始终认为，非洲是非洲人的非洲，非洲的事情应该由非洲人说了算。“非洲之角和平发展构想”的核心，是支持地区国家摆脱大国地缘争夺的干扰，坚定走团结自强之路，把命运掌握在自己手中，主要包括安全、发展、治理三方面内容。
First, intra-regional dialogue needs to be strengthened to overcome security challenges. China believes that regional issues should be tackled by regional countries through negotiation and consultation. As part of efforts to strengthen intra-regional dialogue, China calls on countries in the region to hold a peace conference for the Horn of Africa, whereby a political consensus about jointly safeguarding peace and safety is expected to be formed. The purpose of China’s appointment of the special envoy is simply to offer necessary support for making such peace conference possible.
一是加强域内对话，克服安全挑战。中方支持地区问题应由地区国家通过谈判协商来解决。中国积极推动加强域内对话，建议地区国家召开非洲之角和平会议，形成共护和平安全的政治共识。中方任命外交部非洲之角事务特使，正是旨在为此提供必要支持。
Second, regional revitalization needs to be accelerated to overcome development challenges. The Chinese side proposes strengthening the two main axes of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway and the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, while accelerating the development along the coasts of the Red Sea and of East Africa, so as to set up a development framework of “two axes plus two coastal areas”. Doing so will enable countries in the region to improve their capability of independent development, and create fundamental conditions for achieving peace and stability and thus improving people’s wellbeing.
二是加快区域振兴，克服发展挑战。中方建议做强并拓展蒙内铁路和亚吉铁路两条主轴，同时加快红海沿岸和非洲东海岸开发，形成“两轴+两岸”发展框架，提高地区国家自主发展能力，从根本上为和平稳定创造条件，不断增进人民福祉。
Third, effective ways need to be explored to overcome governance challenges. China supports regional countries in finding development paths that suit their own conditions, and stands ready to enhance exchanges with them on national governance, with useful experience to break through governance bottlenecks. China also supports them in properly resolving ethnic, religious and regional disputes in African ways, and building a united, stable and harmonious environment in favor of the development of the Horn of Africa. China will assist regional countries in seeking effective resolutions to governance challenges.
三是探求有效路径，克服治理挑战。中方支持地区国家探索符合自身国情的发展道路，愿不断加强与地区国家的治国理政交流互鉴，突破治理瓶颈，真正实现发展振兴。中方支持用非洲人的方式妥善处理民族、宗教、地域纠纷，构建非洲之角团结、稳定、和谐的发展环境，助力地区国家探求有效路径，克服治理挑战。
III. Meet Challenges Together to Open up New Prospects
三、同舟共济迎挑战，奋楫扬帆开新局
Sudan is an important state in the Horn of Africa. After China has proposed the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa and appointed the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan expressed in a statement its support for the outlook. It demonstrates the sincerity and willingness of the Sudanese side to advance the outlook’s implementation through joint efforts with China. To this end, China will continue to ramp up cooperation with Sudan to facilitate the implementation in three ways.
苏丹是非洲之角地区重要国家。在中方提出“非洲之角和平发展构想”并任命外交部非洲之角事务特使后，苏丹外交部发表声明对此表示欢迎，体现了苏方愿同中方共同努力、推进构想落地的真诚意愿。下阶段，中方愿继续与苏方加强合作，从三方面推进落实“非洲之角和平发展构想”：
The first is to improve mediation to jointly ensure regional peace and stability. As the region is beset by frequent conflicts, China welcomes and expects Sudan’s active engagement in the peace conference for the Horn of Africa whereby it could meet challenges together with other countries in the region. Its participation will be a contribution to achieving peace, prosperity and long-term stability in the region.
一是加强斡旋调解，共建地区和平稳定。面对该地区冲突频发，中方欢迎苏方积极参与“非洲之角和平会议”，同地区国家共同努力应对挑战，为实现地区和平繁荣与长治久安贡献力量。
The second is to deepen our results-oriented cooperation to jointly improve the economy and people’s wellbeing. While advancing the implementation of “nine programs” announced on the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China will take it as an opportunity to scale up cooperation with Sudan in major areas, including special resource industries like agriculture, animal husbandry, energy and mining sectors, economic development of regions bordering the Red Sea and the Nile, and construction of such infrastructure as airports, harbors and satellite navigation. We expect early delivery of the China-aid slaughter house project, the locomotive project and the mineral exploration and exploitation project. Through extensive efforts to foster business and investment cooperation between the two sides, we will be able to boost Sudan’s economic transformation and bring benefit to a wider group of people.
二是深化务实合作，共促经济民生发展。中方愿以推动落实中非合作论坛“九项工程”为契机，同苏方加强在农牧能矿等特色资源产业、临红海临尼罗河区域经济和机场、港口、卫星导航等基础设施建设等三大领域合作，努力推进援苏屠宰厂、中国机车设备、矿业勘探开发等项目早日落地见效，大力推动两国经贸、投资合作，助推苏丹经济转型，广泛惠及苏丹民生。
The third is to further policy communication to jointly discuss good approaches to state governance. China will continue to firmly support Sudan in adhering to a development path suited to its national conditions and safeguarding social peace and stability. China will firmly oppose the interference of any external forces in Sudan’s internal affairs. What’s more, China is willing to enhance policy communication with Sudan and deepen exchanges of good practices on state governance and development, hoping this will contribute wisdom to closer friendship and cooperation between the two sides.
三是深化政策沟通，共话治国理政之道。中方将继续坚定支持苏丹走符合自身国情的发展道路，坚定支持苏方维护社会和平稳定，坚决反对任何外部势力干涉苏丹内政；中方愿加强同苏政策沟通，推动治国理政和发展经验交流走向深入，为中苏友好合作贡献智慧。
Looking ahead, in the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation which features sincere friendship and equality, win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, and progress with the times and openness and inclusiveness, China will keep its active efforts up to put the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa into action, in a bid to give new impetus to the mission of building a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era.
大道如砥，行者无疆。展望未来，中方将继续秉持“真诚友好、平等相待，互利共赢、共同发展，主持公道、捍卫正义，顺应时势、开放包容”的中非友好合作精神，积极推进落实“非洲之角和平发展构想”，不断为构建新时代中非命运共同体注入新动力。