An appreciation of African-Arab cooperation
https://arab.news/6gcy6
The 61st anniversary of the African Union’s founding, a significant African political event, reminds us of the historical and geographical ties that unite Africa and the Arab world, as both sides share numerous civilizational and cultural elements.
Throughout the ages, the Arabian Peninsula and the African continent have engaged in extensive cultural and commercial interactions, shaping a shared identity in many aspects of life. Notably, tens of Arab states are situated in Africa, with a combined population of approximately 283 million people out of the continent’s 1.25 billion inhabitants, contributing to strengthening relations between the two sides.
Some intellectuals, notably the Arab-African intellectual Dr. Ali Mazrui, have argued that Arabs and Africans once inhabited a single continent before the geological separation by the formation of the Red Sea, which division was completed in the 19th century with the construction of the Suez Canal.
The formation of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden dates back to about three to five million years B.C., which implies that the Arabian Peninsula and Africa were one geographical area before the geological rift
Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama
In this context, Mazrui developed a scientific model, “Afrabia,” to frame the ongoing historical and geographic connections between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa, based on several key factors. These include the fact that Africa is the first continent where Muslims form the overwhelming majority, the long history of migration and movement between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and the linguistic ties between the two.
Furthermore, the formation of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden dates back to about three to five million years B.C., which implies that the Arabian Peninsula and Africa were one geographical area before the geological rift.
Based on these themes, Mazrui concludes that Africa and the Arabian Peninsula will merge under the new world order to form a single hub of cooperation and integration that is strengthened by history, geography, and culture, with all these elements common between them more than with any other bloc in the world. Moreover, the Arab-African integration and fraternity, or what can be called the Arab-African cohesion, is both longstanding and current, due to many supporting factors. Therefore, it was necessary to bolster it with economic integration for sustainable development, thus benefiting the peoples of the African continent and the Arab world.
Supporting joint economic development between Africa and the Arab world is critical for both sides to prosper and thrive, and a number of Arab and Islamic financial institutions have played a pivotal role in this area.
The Islamic Development Bank is one of the leading institutions in supporting economic development in the African continent. Since its establishment 50 years ago, it has provided financing and technical cooperation to hundreds of development projects in various vital sectors, such as infrastructure, agriculture, industry, health and education. Thus, the bank has contributed significantly to stimulating economic growth and improving living standards in many African countries.
The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa focuses on financing economic and social projects in Africa to achieve sustainable development. Over the past 50 years, the bank has contributed significantly to the development of productive sectors and infrastructure in many African countries.
The celebration of the golden jubilee of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa in Riyadh over the past few days came as a culmination of five decades of developing infrastructure and agriculture across Africa and contributing an active role in the development of economic, financial and technical cooperation between the Arab world and Africa, embodying Arab-African solidarity.
It is notable that the celebration took place a month after a similar celebration in Riyadh on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Development Bank under the slogan “Cherishing our Past, Charting our Future: Originality, Solidarity and Prosperity.”
These two celebrations reflect the importance of economic and social development and the role of the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in supporting sustainable development in the world, especially in the Islamic world and Africa.
In addition, Arab development funds, such as the Saudi Fund for Development, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Qatar Fund for Development, and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, play a crucial role in supporting development in Africa. These funds have provided financing and soft loans for hundreds of development projects, effectively contributing to enhancing infrastructure and sectoral development in many African countries.
Moreover, one should not overlook the humanitarian and relief efforts carried out by KSrelief, the Kingdom’s charitable arm, in many African countries.
The Republic of Djibouti plays an important role in the efforts to promote Arab and African cooperation as a bridge between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula
Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama
These combined Arab institutional efforts emphasize the importance of economic and development cooperation between the Arab and African sides. Such cooperation enhances productive capacities and infrastructure in Africa and helps achieve sustainable development and improve living standards on the continent. It also reflects the depth of historical and civilizational ties between the two regions.
Politically, the past five decades have witnessed weak communication between the two sides, as evidenced by the fact that leaders in the Arab world and Africa have only met three times in 47 years. The first Arab-African summit was held in Cairo in 1977, the second in Sirte, Libya in 2010, while the third Arab-African summit was held in Kuwait in 2013. The last Saudi-African summit, held in Riyadh last November, emphasized developing relations between the two sides in various fields, strengthening joint cooperation, and advancing the strategic partnership relations between the two sides, valuing the historical ties between them. It can be a basis to build Afro-Arab cooperation in various fields, especially since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, announced during the summit that the Kingdom has provided more than $45 billion to support development and humanitarian projects in 54 African countries, and that the assistance of KSrelief amounted to more than $450 million in 46 African countries.
Furthermore, the crown prince announced King Salman’s Development Initiative in Africa by launching development projects and programs in the African states worth more than $1 billion over 10 years, and injecting new Saudi investment in various sectors in the continent exceeding $25 billion. This is in addition to financing and securing $10 billion of exports and providing $5 billion in development funding to Africa until 2030. He also revealed that the Kingdom intends to increase the number of its embassies on the continent to more than 40.
The Republic of Djibouti plays an important role in the efforts to promote Arab and African cooperation as a bridge between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, given its unique geographical location overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait which, holds great economic and political strategic importance. Djibouti is also home to the largest free trade zone in Africa, which would contribute to the development of trade and investment exchange with Africa.
Arab-African integration is an urgent necessity supported by various common denominators between the Arab and African peoples, historical ties, and geographical proximity. Strengthening cooperation between the two sides will have positive repercussions on development and the well-being of the peoples, and on security and stability. This requires strong political will and joint strategic visions by decision-makers both in the Arab world and Africa.
We look forward to the forthcoming launch of the Council of Arab and African States bordering the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. We hope that this council will be a model of high-level Arab-African cooperation on the basis of common regional interests that are compatible and harmonious with the international community.
- Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama is the ambassador of Djibouti to Saudi Arabia. X: @dya_bamakhrama
