Monday 03 May 2010 - MILMUN

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MILMUN CHRONICLE 8 Over the last 15 years there has been a massive increase in investments from China into African countries. African economy is characterized by a chronically and almost total absence of a domestic business class, hence the promotion of human capital resources and improvement of governance (basically possible by reducing risk of investment) are necessary requisites for its long term development. That’s why resource-seeking(as opposed to market-seeking) orientation of Chinese FDIs raises serious doubts on their effectiveness , appearing more as an unnatural implantation of foreign technologies and business models that fail in being assimilated rather than a stimulus towards actual growth, and benefiting more for the home country rather than the host economy. Chinese investors and companies are increasingly present in the infrastructures building sector(in particular in Morocco, Mauritania, Uganda, Senegal ), in the TCnetworks (with Huawei and Zet as main companies),in the mining sector (Congo, Zambia),and oil industry(Angola,Kenya and Guinea). In countries where relations with the West are tense, China avoids getting mixed up in the internal policies of the trading country. Its relationship with Sudan, its main oil supplier along with Angola, is emblematic of the strategic cynicism of the government in Beijing. In September 2004, the UN Security Council condemned the genocide in Darfur and announced an embargo on arms sales to Sudan. China’s UN ambassador threatened to veto the resolution, before finally abstaining. Sudan is one of the main Chinese outlets for military technology and thousands of Chinese soldiers are there to supervise and monitor oil pipelines.13 of out of over 15 among the foreign oil industries present in Sudan are Chinese. Recently nevertheless Beijing’s logic of noninvolvement is becoming more flexible and due to the impossibility of pure aseptic market perspective, economic partnerships are keeping pace with diplomatic relationships. China, notwithstanding consistent military involvement in Zimbawe, Liberia, Eritrea where it encourages weapons traffic in exchange for timber, gold and other raw materials, is paradoxically participating to the ONU Peacekeeping mission in these same regions. Beijing government is also generously sustaining the right to a permanent seat at the Security Council for Nigeria, one of the richest regions for what concerns oil fields. Loans with low interest rates, debt cancellation and preferential tariffs are the main techniques used by the Chinese investors to gain the trust of Ethiopia, well-known target of charges for the violation of human rights, with low energetic geo- potential but a high valuable strategic graphic position. An embarrassing exception to the dominant trend of non-involvement of China is represented by the case of Angola. In 2005 China’s export bank, Eximbank, had approved a $2bn line of credit to enable Angola to reconstruct infrastructure destroyed during 30 years of civil war. Global Witness ‘s inquiries had shown that some of the money went to fund government propaganda for the 2006 general election. Chinese pressure forced the business go-between Antonio Pereira Mendes de Campos Van Dunem to resign from his post as secretary of the Angolan Council of Ministers. The ex-Portuguese colony is now China’s second-largest commercial partner in Africa and exports 25% of its oil production to China. China is acting as a sort of huge permissive stepmother who temporarily avoid correcting his bossy, rude stepson for the fear of losing his beloved father (call him Oil or Money as you wish). Someone claims that at the basis of this Sino- African successful bilateral relations stand shared common values. Better to say - shared common lack of values with respect to justice, ecology, respect. There’s no ideological rhetoric, it’s just a matter of pragmatism, conspiracy of silence, “interested indifference” aimed at sustain or at least non-hinder unethical attitudes to protect incommensurable economic interests. Rwanda’s minister of finance and economic planning, Donald Kaberuka, respond to the anxieties of European and American multinationals, traditional Africa’s partners ,saying that: “It’s just a different way of doing business”. Completely true. It’s a way forbidden by the “politically correct” EU and USA, based on unconditional, instant credits, corruption, under table mechanisms that make everything easier for emergent African companies but go to the detriment of financial transparency . It has to be said that undeniable benefits of resource-seeking Chinese investments also exist. The Chinese government’s African Human Resources Development Fund pays for 10,000 Africans to be trained in Beijing, and this could likely r e - sults in the creation of a strong, cultivated, disen- chanted business class. F u r t h e r - more economic models imposed by a developing country are more appropriate to the host country context than those coming from western industrialized countries, which are moreover more risk-averse in dealing with the informal governance arrangements and processes typical of many African economies. Hopefully we will assist to a gradual change of the terms of the relationships between Africa and “the North”. FDIs will provide African industrial governance with greater bargaining power in their relations with multinational corporations from industrial countries and foreign investors in general, the probable outcome will be a radical shake of the power balance. The original objective of South-South investments was “economic cooperation meant at build solidarity between continents belonging to the same underdeveloped world”. But isn’t it very little credible considering a capitalist giant as China as still belonging to that world? Thanks to its well-known ability in grasping opportunities that seem to pass unobserved to the rest of the globe the former “celestial empire” understood how to turn this mass of wars, poverty, HIV an deserts into an outstanding treasure. In the last century a very similar kind of commercial and diplomatic relationships had little to do with mutual aid and fraternal collaboration. It sounds more like a sort of fresh XXI centurymade neocolonialism.
MILMUN CHRONICLE 9 Perhaps a suitable reference of J.M. Barrie’s play about Peter Pan would be: when the first MUN took place for the first time, the MUN broke into a thousand pieces and they all went shipping about. And that was the beginning of a tradition. However, no pixie hollow is needed when the MUN fairy tale takes form: motivated students, hardworking, an interesting theme to debate and a spark of mischievous optimism. Here is the perfect recipe for a happy ending. Being part of the MUN fairy tale is always a lifetime opportunity, and whosoever experiences the wonder and magic of these international conferences becomes addicted. Simply put, being a participant of a MUN provides a valuable interactive learning experience in multilateral diplomacy, effective communication and conflict resolution. Furthermore, intercultural exchange and opinion sharing regarding pressing matters are part of the game. And, who knows, this could be the opportunity to start long-lasting friendships. Meanwhile, lookout, the clock is ticking. MUN simulations challenge participants by imposing to work round the clock while sticking the special rules and guidelines of the United Nations’ General Assembly and other multilateral bodies. As the popular magic opening goes, once upon a fifth time, the prestigious Bocconi University in Milan, Italy will host the MILMUN from the 3 rd to the 7 th of May 2010. Think about it… Five days to be recalled as a step forward towards open-mindedness. This initiative is fantastic, especially when knowing that MILMUN is an initiative created by students for students. This year, the conference general theme is “Finding the right balance: towards a global social contract.” The Security Council will discuss the right to self-determination and security as well as the issue of nuclear proliferation and disarmament. The 40 countries within the Human Rights Council will debate on Somali governance, anti-governmental protests and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The Economic and Social Council will be implementing a global health program while evaluating the south-south and triangular co-operation. The International Court of Justice will focus on jurisdictional immunity of sovereign states. Finally, the Council of the European Union will reform the labor market and, at the meantime, agree on an environmental policy. The MILMUN chronicle news journalists will be covering the whole conference, including social events that promise to be sumptuous in the Italian capital of fashion. A suitable conclusion would be a happy ending, but as we are moving out of the fairy tale, significant challenges remain still. Nevertheless, The MILMUN initiative brings about change in mentalities and its participants are definitely making a difference in this world. This is a message full of hope as, thanks to MUN conferences, the youth of today could be tomorrow’s fairies of human rights and international policy. My tale is done, now a MUN conference is running in Milan, and whosoever catches it may make himself addicted to it. MILMUN 2010 Photographs by: Alberto Maria Colombo, Alessandro Fregoso, Melania Coletta, Valerio Geraci , Khaled WELCOME APERETIVO ITALIAN DINNER “La Fabbrica” (Alzaia Naviglio Grande 70)
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Monday 03 May 2010 - MILMUN

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