By Adhere Cavince

China’s President Xi Jinping used the Boao Forum to nudge international community to take tangible steps towards functional, inclusive and beneficial multilateralism. At a time when the world is facing common enemies such as Covid-19 global health crisis, Climate change, poverty and inequality, a stronger push for multilateralism is needed.

On the Covid-19 pandemic, China has been central in promoting an international response spanning epidemics control knowledge sharing, sending essentials commodities such as testing kits, protective clothing, respirators and even face masks to other countries. African countries were main beneficiaries of these medical supplies, a fact that gave the continent critical head start in managing the impacts of the pandemic.

The Chinese leader did spell additional measures including joint vaccines production with Belt and Road Initiative partner countries. In Africa, where over 44 countries have signed up to BRI, joint vaccines production will significantly improve access to the commodities in the continent whose current caseload is nearly at 4.5 million, with over 118,000 deaths; yet access to vaccines remains extremely low across Africa. Many African countries are now stranded following the disruptions in the global supply chains; partly due to nationalist showing and expressed through vaccine hoarding.

So far, China has donated vaccines to a number of African countries, such as Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The cold-chain air bridge between Shenzhen and Ethiopia, as well as alternate manufacturing hubs in Egypt and Morocco will therefore be timely additions to the continent’s quest for vaccine adequacy.

As new and pragmatic galvanising force in international affairs, the BRI provides a sustainable framework of inter-country cooperation with peace and development at its core. Through its key pillars, the initiative is a strong force of economic transformation, with the World Bank projecting that nearly 40 million people could be lifted from extreme and moderate penury through implementation of various BRI projects. Further commitment by China to share the proceeds of its development with countries along the BRI path presents an opportunity for inclusive global development. This is even more striking given that China is predicted to contribute up to 20.4% to world economic growth between 2021 and 2026.  

To aid green recovery and development from the global health crisis, China is rooting for closer international cooperation to roll back the stretch of climate change. Since the start of reform and opening up, Beijing has implemented a number of initiatives on ecological conservation, codifying key learning points for other countries. The BRI offers participating countries to muster cross-learning, policy coordination and targets achievement. The new commitments by China including the goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 as well as willingness to strengthen global frameworks such as the Paris Climate Agreement are just a few pointers towards the affinity of Beijing to prioritize ecological wellness and collective human prosperity.

While remaining low emitters of the greenhouse gases, developing countries have faced the biggest brunt of climate change. Floods, persistent droughts and dwindling yields are some of the manifestation of the climate crises in Africa. Strategic cooperative arrangements that can allow flow of technology and resources to emerging economies will be critical in shielding vulnerable economies from the dangers of the climate crises.      

Only by promoting a conscious culture and principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, can counties realize the fruits of true multilateralism. Working together, countries can sustainably surmount cross border challenges afflicting humanity.

The writer is a scholar of international relations with a focus on China-Africa relations. Twiter: @Cavinceworld.