![Sample our Humanities journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5939/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Humanities.jpg"})
Abstract
At present, the unstoppable rise of the Global South countries and their increasing strategic autonomy has become an important perspective to understand the current world pattern and regional cooperation, and also brings complex prospect for competition and cooperation between various forces in the Horn of Africa. As one of the most important extraterritorial forces concerning the situation of the Horn of Africa, the ‘New Cold War’ in the Middle East has brought certain risks to the security situation in the Horn of Africa, while the Gulf Arab States are expected to become active partners in the governance of the Horn of Africa with the arrival of the tide of Middle East reconciliation. Rather than serving as a chessboard or even pieces in the game of external powers in the past, the countries of the Horn of Africa are now trying to enhance their strategic autonomy and strengthen their solidarity to collectively address regional security threats. As an rightful member and key power of the Global South, China has taken the opportunity of establishing a Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs to provide new ideas for non-regional forces to participate constructively in the governance of the Horn of Africa. Strengthening third-party cooperation between China and Gulf Arab States in the Horn of Africa will help transform the negative intervention of non-regional forces into positive cooperation, stimulate the endogenous momentum of change in the region, and promote the development of regional governance in the Horn of Africa in a more balanced direction.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1 Liu Debin, Li Dongqi, ‘The origin of Global South research and its important meaning’, Front of Thought and Theory (1), (2023), p. 82.
2 Stewart Patrick, ‘The term Global South is surging. It should be retired’, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, (15 August 2023), available at: https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/08/15/term-global-south-is-surging.-it-should-be-retired-pub-90376.
3 Xu Xiujun, Shen Chen, ‘The rise of the Global South and the evolution of the world pattern’, International Studies (4), (2023), pp. 65–6.
4 Jorge Heine, ‘The Global South is forging a new foreign policy in the face of war in Ukraine, China-US tensions: Active nonalignment’, The Conversation, (16 June 2023), available at: https://theconversation.com/the-global-south-is-forging-a-new-foreign-policy-in-the-face-of-war-in-ukraine-china-us-tensions-active-nonalignment-207078.
5 Sholto Byrnes, ‘The new ‘non-aligned movement’ is an improved version of the original concept’, The National News, (31 August 2022), available at: https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2022/08/31/the-new-non-aligned-movement-is-an-improved-version-of-the-original-concept/.
6 ‘Saudi Arabia will extend the voluntary cut of one million barrels per day for three months to include October until the end of December 2023’, Saudi Press Agency, (5 September 2023), available at: https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/3e395523d1p.
7 Mathew Burrows and Aude Darnal, ‘Red cell: Is the west losing the Global South?’, Stimson, (10 December 2022), available at: https://www.stimson.org/2022/red-cell-2-is-the-west-losing-the-global-south/.
8 ‘Chairman Mao Zedong’s theory on the division of the three world and the strategy of forming an alliance against an opponent’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, available at: https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/ziliao_665539/3602_665543/3604_665547/200011/t20001117_697799.html.
9 ‘Wang Yi puts forward four proposals on strengthening cooperation among Global South countries’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, (26 July 2023), https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb_663304/wjbz_663308/activities_663312/202307/t20230727_11118544.html.
10 ‘Joint Trilateral Statement by the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Islamic Republic of Iran’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, (10 March 2023), available at: https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjdt_665385/2649_665393/202303/t20230311_11039241.html.
11 Zhao Jia, ‘Geopolitics holds back Horn of Africa’, China Daily, (19 April 2022), available at: https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202204/19/WS625e19f8a310fd2b29e57c4c.html.
12 Shady Ahmed Mansour, ‘Yara Yehia Ahmed, Saudi Arabia and UAE in the Horn of Africa: Containing Security Threats from Regional Rivals’, Contemporary Arab Affairs 12(3), (2019), pp. 108–11.
13 ‘Letter dated 2 November 2017 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 751 (1992) and 1907 (2009) concerning Somalia and Eritrea addressed to the President of the Security Council’, United Nations Security Council (UNSC), (6 November 2017), available at: https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N17/302/02/PDF/N1730202.pdf?OpenElement.
14 ‘Intra-Gulf competition in Africa’s Horn: Lessening the impact’, International Crisis Group, (19 September 2019), available at: https://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/gulf-and-arabian-peninsula-horn-africa-turkiye/intra-gulf-competition.
15 Gerald M. Feierstein, ‘The fight for Africa: The new focus of the Saudi-Iranian rivalry’, Middle East Institute (MEI), (14 September 2017), available at: https://www.mei.edu/sites/default/files/publications/PF2_Feierstein_AfricaSaudiIran_web_4.pdf.
16 Ed Payne, Salma Abdelaziz, ‘Muslim nations form coalition to fight terror, call Islamic extremism ‘disease’’, CNN, (22 December 2015), available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/14/middleeast/islamic-coalition-isis-saudi-arabia/.
17 Ma Xiaolin and Liang Guoxuan, ‘Saudi Arabia’s Policy towards the Horn of Africa: Historical Evolution and Effect Evaluation’, Journal of China-Africa Studies (1), (2023), p. 132.
18 Yoel Guzansky and Ofir Winter, ‘Does Qatar’s return to the Arab world run through Egypt?’, INSS Insight (1493), (30 June 2021), available at: https://www.inss.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/no.-1493-1.pdf.
19 Yu Zhen and Xiao Ben, ‘The characteristics and influencing factors of the UAE’s Africa policy at the beginning of the 21st century’, Journal of China-Africa Studies (4), (2022), pp. 126–7.
20 Camille Lons, ‘Saudi Arabia and the UAE look to Africa’, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, (23 October 2018), available at: https://carnegieendowment.org/sada/77561.
21 Jos Meester, Willem van den Berg and Harry Verhoeven, ‘Riyal Politik: The Political Economy of Gulf Investments in the Horn of Africa’, The Clingendael Institute, (April 2018), available at: https://www.clingendael.org/sites/default/files/2018-04/riyal-politik.pdf.
22 Abdi Sheikh, ‘Somalia gets new Saudi aid but stays neutral in Gulf crisis’, Reuters, (3 October 2017), available at: https://www.reuters.com/artic le/us-somalia-saudi-aid-idUSKCN1C81MD.
23 ‘At King Salman’s Directive, Saudi Arabia announces $20Mln grant to Sudan’, Asharq Al Awsat, (18 May 2017), available at: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2978781/king-salman%E2%80%99s-directive-saudi-arabia-announces-20mln-grant-sudan.
24 Christian Henderson, ‘The UAE as a Nexus State’, Journal of Arabian Studies 7(1), (2017), p. 91.
25 Marco Malvestuto, ‘The Red Sea route, a strategic junction’, About Energy, (11 May 2018), available at: https://www.aboutenergy.com/en_IT/topics/red-sea-route-strategic-junction.shtml.
26 Matthew Hedges, ‘Small state security engagement in post – Arab spring MENA: The case of the United Arab Emirates’, Asian Affairs 52(2), (2021), p. 420.
27 Naser Al Wasmi, ‘Arab and African states discuss forming a Red Sea security council’, the National News, (12 December 2018), available at: https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/gcc/arab-and-african-states-discuss-forming-a-red-sea-security-council-1.801970.
28 Wang Guangda and Ma Xiaodong, ‘Realistic dilemma and path selection of security governance in the Red Sea Region’, West Asia and Africa (3), (2023), p. 89.
29 Matt Kennard, Ismail Einashe, ‘For Somaliland and Djibouti, will new friends bring benefits?’, Foreign Policy, (19 March 2019), available at: https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/03/19/somaliland-somalia-horn-of-africa-djibouti-military-oil-uae-qatar-berbera-port/.
30 Zach Vertin, ‘Red Sea rivalries: The Gulf States are playing a dangerous game in the Horn of Africa’, Foreign Affairs, (15 January 2019), available at: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/east-africa/2019-01-15/red-sea-rivalries.
31 ‘Improving prospects for a peaceful transition in Sudan’, International Crisis Group, (14 January 2019), available at: https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/horn-africa/sudan/b143-improving-prospects-peaceful-transition-sudan.
32 Zach Vertin, ‘Red Sea rivalries: The Gulf States are playing a dangerous game in the Horn of Africa’, Foreign Affairs, (15 January 2019), available at: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/east-africa/2019-01-15/red-sea-rivalries.
33 Zhang Mengying, Li Xinfeng, ‘The intervention and influence of middle eastern countries in the Horn of Africa’, International Studies (4), (2019), p. 105.
34 Shelly Culbertson, Howard J. Shatz and Stephanie Stewart, ‘Renewing U.S. Security Policy in the Middle East’, RAND Corporation, (23 September 2022), available at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA904-1.html.
35 ‘China supports Horn of Africa countries to independently resolve differences: special envoy’, Xinhua, (15 March 2023), available at: https://english.news.cn/20230315/1674848d8a574a8e88f3b3c84effb4a4/c.html.
36 The French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, ‘East Africa and the Horn in 2022: An Outlook for Strategic Positioning in the Region’, (March 2017), p. 4.
37 Zhao Yating, ‘New features and effects of western powers participating in African governance under the background of Africa’s independent development’, West Asia and Africa (4), (2023), p. 90.
38 Zhang Chun, ‘Regional transformation in the Horn of Africa and China’s Policy’, Contemporary International Relations (3), (2020), p. 51.
39 Awol Allo, ‘The Abiy doctrine: One year of Ethiopia’s new foreign policy’, African Arguments, (5 April 2019), available at: https://africanarguments.org/2019/04/the-abiy-doctrine-one-year-of-ethiopia-new-foreign-policy/.
40 ‘Joint declaration of peace and friendship between Eritrea and Ethiopia’, (9 July 2018), available at: https://www.peaceagreements.org/viewmasterdocument/2097.
41 ‘Eritrea-Somalia joint declaration on brotherly relations and comprehensive cooperation’, (30 July 2018), available at: https://www.peaceagreements.org/viewmasterdocument/2100.
42 ‘Joint declaration on comprehensive cooperation between Ethiopia, Somalia, and Eritrea’, (5 September 2018), available at: https://www.peaceagreements.org/viewmasterdocument/2099,
43 ‘Draft IGAD intergrated maritime safety and security strategy (2030)’, IGAD, (12 February 2015), available at: https://igad.int/draft-igad-integrated-maritime-safety-and-security-strategy-2030/.
44 ‘IGAD Establishes Taskforce on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden’, Horn Diplomat, (4 April 2019), available at: https://www.horndiplomat.com/2019/04/04/igad-establishes-taskforce-on-the-redsea-and-the-gulf-of-aden/.
45 Ahmed Yusuf Hersi, ‘Prospect for future development and intermediate challenges to the IGAD region’, IGAD, (3 September 2021), available at: https://igad.int/from-maritime-security-to-blue-economy/.
46 ‘Biden sends US troops back to Somalia’, Russia today, (18 May 2022), available at: https://www.rt.com/news/555586-biden-orders-somalia-troops/.
47 ‘Kenya and Somaliland agree to deepen bilateral ties’, Horn Diplomat, (15 December 2020), available at: https://www.horndiplomat.com/2020/12/15/kenya-and-somaliland-agree-to-deepen-bilateral-ties/.
48 Nima Elbagir, Tamara Qiblawi and Amarachi Orie, ‘Rival generals are battling for control in Sudan. Here’s a simple guide to the fighting’, CNN, (26 April 2023), available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/26/africa/sudan-conflict-explained-intl/index.html.
49 Richard Probst and Anna Reuss, ‘Sudan: Violence knows no borders’, Inter Press Service (IPS), (12 May 2023), available at: https://www.ipsnews.net/2023/05/violence-knows-no-borders/.
50 Zhang Jieying and Sun Degang, ‘The Nile water disputes and its governance: A perspective of securitization’, Journal of International Relations (1), (2023), p. 119.
51 ‘Ethiopia earns $48.23mln in power export to neighboring countries in 7 months’, Fana Broadcasting, (23 March 2023), available at: https://www.fanabc.com/english/ethiopia-earns-48-23mln-from-power-export-to-neighboring-countries-in-7mos/.
52 Giorgio Cafiero, ‘Analysis: The war in Sudan is a problem for Egypt’, Aljazeera, (12 July 2023), available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/12/analysis-the-war-in-sudan-is-a-problem-for-egypt.
53 Institute for Economics & Peace, ‘Global Peace Index 2022: Measuring Peace in a Complex World’, (June 2022), p. 11.
54 Institute for Economics & Peace, ‘Global Terrorism Index 2023’, (March 2023), p. 8.
55 Mohamed Kheir Omer, ‘Is the Pretoria peace deal the beginning of the end of the TPLF?’, African Arguments, (8 February 2023), available at: https://africanarguments.org/2023/02/is-the-pretoria-peace-deal-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-tplf/.
56 ‘Internal displacement in Sudan nearly doubles since onset of conflict’, International Organization for Migration (IOM), (5 September 2023), available at: https://www.iom.int/news/internal-displacement-sudan-nearly-doubles-onset-conflict.
57 Zhang Mengying, ‘The root causes of refugee crisis in the Horn of Africa and its governance dilemma’, Journal of China-Africa Studies (3), (2022), pp. 82–4.
58 Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg, ‘Red Sea security requires international cooperation’, Arab News, (24 May 2021), available at: https://www.arabnews.com/node/1864161.
59 Luo Jianbo, Sun Xin, ‘African solutions to African problems: Exploration of indigenous knowledge of African collective security’, West Asia and Africa (5), (2023), p. 111.
60 ‘Remarks by President Biden in State of the Union Address’, the White House, (7 February 2023), available at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/02/07/remarks-by-president-biden-in-state-of-the-union-address-2/.
61 Fawzi al-Zubaidi, ‘The Gulf navigates a multipolar world’, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (TWI), (24 February 2023), available at: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/gulf-navigates-multipolar-world.
62 Karen E. Young, ‘How Saudi Arabia sees the world’, Foreign Affairs, (1 November 2022), available at: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/saudi-arabia/how-saudi-arabia-sees-world.
63 Emile Hokayem, ‘Fraught relations: Saudi ambitions and American anger’, The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), (6 December 2022), available at: https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/survival-online/2022/12/fraught-relations-saudi-ambitions-and-american-anger.
64 Mohammed Khalfan Sawafi, ‘Why the Gulf Arab states root for a multipolar world order?’, Future for Advanced Research & Studies (FARAS), (19 May 2022), available at: https://futureuae.com/en-US/Mainpage/Item/7300/why-the-gulf-arab-states-root-for-a-multipolar-world-order.
65 ‘Analysis: ‘A wall of BRICS’: The significance of adding six members’, Aljazeera, (24 August 2023), available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/24/analysis-wall-of-brics-the-significance-of-adding-six-new-members.
66 ‘China tops U.S. as favorite power among Arabs despite challenges’, Newsweek, (10 August 2022), available at: https://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-china-tops-us-favorite-power-among-arabs-despite-challenges-1732321.
67 Jos Meester and Guido Lanfranchi, ‘The UAE and China in the Horn of Africa: Implications for EU engagement’, Netherlands Institute of International Relations, (June 2021), p. 7.
68 ‘Wang Yi Talks about the ‘Initiative of peaceful development in the Horn of Africa’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, (7 January 2022), available at: https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/202201/t20220107_10479933.html.
69 ‘Wang Yi puts forward four proposals on strengthening cooperation among Global South countries’, available at: https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb_663304/wjbz_663308/activities_663312/202307/t20230727_11118544.html.
70 Xu Xiujun and Shen Chen, ‘The rise of the Global South and the evolution of the world pattern’, International Studies (4), (2023), pp. 67–8.
71 Song Wei, ‘Promoting independent development: China’s governance assistance to Africa under the global civilization initiative’, International Studies (3), (2023), p. 18.
72 ‘Roundup: First China-Horn of Africa peace conference concludes with call for realizing shared aspiration’, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), (23 June 2022), available at: http://www.focac.org/eng/zfzs_1/202206/t20220623_10708534.htm.
73 Gleb Chugunov, ‘China helps Horn of Africa eliminate disagreements, Envoy says’, Sputnik, (15 March 2023), available at: https://sputnikglobe.com/20230315/china-helps-horn-of-africa-eliminate-disagreements-envoy-says-1108426392.html.
74 Wang Guangda and Ma Xiaodong, ‘Realistic dilemma and path selection of security governance in the Red Sea region’, West Asia and Africa (3), (2023), pp. 94–5.
75 ‘Initiative can help civilizations thrive’, Helsinki Times, (28 March 2023), available at: https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/china-news/23257-initiative-can-help-civilizations-thrive.html.
76 Luo Jianbo and Sun Xin, ‘African solutions to African problems: Exploration of indigenous knowledge of African collective security’, West Asia and Africa (5), (2023), p. 130.