Report takes stock of game-changing Global Security Initiative… As Zimbabwe positions itself as key player

China ‘s efforts to foster a new global security dispensation has made significant strides with growing consensus among the majority of countries of the world.

The Global Security Initiative, proposed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2022, rallies the world on a number of security issues from the traditional to non-traditional or emerging domains from military conflict, food and energy security to cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

The key issues concern all countries, big and small, including Africa, with Zimbabwe among the key nodes of the new security order that may us set to revolutionise world response to the security-challenges.

A report titled, “Report on the Implementation of the Global Security Initiative 2024” published by the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) this July, details the success of the initiative and China’s diplomatic power in building a consensus towards new thinking in global security and support received from across the world.

“In the past two years, the GSI has garnered support and acclaim from over 100 countries and regional and international organizations, and the initiative and its core concepts have been written into more than 90 bilateral and multilateral documents on China’s cooperation with other countries and international organisations,” the report says.

“The initiative has also been lauded and reported on by numerous prominent international figures and esteemed media outlets, successfully mobilising the consensus and synergy of the international community for tackling security risks and challenges.

“Consequently, the initiative has evolved into an important international consensus of global influence that it is in conformity with the trend of the times and the fundamental interests of people of all countries, and it has injected more stability and certainty into an era of turbulence and changes,” the report says.

Last year, in July, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa expressed support for the GSI when he met a top envoy from China, Yang Jiechi in Harare.

Zimbabwe also received an assortment of military hardware worth millions of dollars, which Harare said would be crucial in securing the country, especially in light of instability and terrorist threats in the neighbouring Mozambique, with which Zimbabwe shares a 1423km border.

The discovery of natural gas and energy resources in Mozambique in recent years has spawned terrorist activities in the northern Cabo Delgado region, rekindling fears of a civil war.

For Zimbabwe, this raised the spectre of destabilising conflict that could affect its economic corridor, a situation similar to what happened in the 1980s.

Among the earliest supporters of the initiative are U.N.Secretary General António Guterres who hailed China’s “firm commitment to upholding multilateralism”.

A distinct characteristic of the initiative is China advocacy for principles of mutual respect, openness and inclusiveness, multilateralism, mutual benefit, and a holistic approach.

The GSI seeks to unite the international community in a cooperative effort to tackle security challenges and provides an effective solution for the international community to address security challenges.

The report explains: “In this process, China and all its cooperation partners respect each other’s core interests and legitimate security concerns, and sincerely welcome the participation of all partners that are genuinely dedicated to global peace and development, promote synergy among security concepts though consultations on an equal footing, continue to expand the convergence of interests with all stakeholders, and jointly seek lasting solutions for sustainable security.”When he proposed the initiative in April 2022, Xi said the world was undergoing accelerated changes unseen in a century amid turbulence and transformation.

“After two years of dedicated work,” the report says, “the GSI has achieved significant progress across multiple areas of cooperation.”

Xi has also introduced other key initiatives, the Global Development Initiative (2021) and last year’s Global Civilisation Initiative, which commentators say are part of a coterie of ideas China is seeking to sell to the world as it primes for global leadership in a so-called new order.The Belt and Road Initiative, for example, is the world’s largest infrastructure, trade and connectivity project involving several countries across regions.

The World bank estimates that by 2030 the Belt and Road cooperation will have value of US$1.6 trillion or 1.3 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product.

Food Security The CIIS report notes that China is pushing a radical plan to change global food security which is “facing an exceptionally severe test due to multiple factors such as geopolitical conflicts, extreme weather, and inflation.”

Zimbabwe has been facing frequent droughts leading to food scarcity with the country facing hunger this year for over half its population, requiring US$3 billion in emergency food aid.

Other countries in the region such as Zambia and Malawi, have also been affected by drought and are in equally dire need of food assistance, which has become a constant motif in light of climate change and extreme weather events, worsening each passing year. China has been assisting Zimbabwe with food donations in lean times and during disasters, and is cooperating with the Southern African country through agriculture demonstration sites, which are pioneering new and appropriate technologies.

Last year, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Zhou Ding, handed over 1000 tonnes of rice and 1000 tonnes of wheat to Minister of Public Service and Social Welfare, as part of Chinese government’s emergency food assistance programme.

The Asian giant provided emergency food assistance to 17African countries in 2022 and last August, President Xi Jinping announced another batch of emergency food assistance to African countries in need, covering 25 countries with nearly 40,000 tons of various types of food.

A rethink of food security, as part of wider threats such as wars, pandemics, terrorism, transnational crimes and cyber security has been put forward to ensure that a comprehensive approach to tackling these challenges can be implemented globally.

China is working through the United Nations to transform global agriculture and food governance architecture that will benefit vulnerable countries like Zimbabwe, in light of climate change, as well as what the Chinese think tank says is weaponisation of food.“

China is a reliable partner for the United Nations and developing countries in thefield of food security,” the CIIS report says.

It explains:

“China takes concrete actions to maintain the smooth operation of international agricultural trade, improve food security, promote food production and unimpeded supply chains, and make positive contributions to maintaining global food security.

“China is committed to improving the global food security governance system,” says the report, which covers a number of other areas China has worked to improve global security in the past two years, and received support from over 100 countried and organissations.

“Within the G20 framework, China has proposed the International Food Security Cooperation Initiative, offering its insights to uphold global food security and avoid politicization and weaponisation of food security issues.”

China has also worked for the adoption of the BRICS Strategy on Food Security Cooperation and co-hosted with the United Nations World Food Programme(WFP) the second and third Seminar on China-Africa Rice Value Chain to help relevant countries improve their food production and food security, and jointly address food security challenges.

Speaking at the donation of food to Zimbabwe last year, Ambassador Zhou said,

“Food security is a mutual aspiration pursued by both China and Zimbabwe.”

China has provided more than 10 batches of food assistance to Zimbabwe since 2002.

“China is committed to helping Zimbabwe develop its agricultural facilities, enhancing capacities and investments,” Ambassador Zhou added.

Last month, during the launch of an agriculture demonstration site in Zvimba, Mashonaland West, Ambassador Zhou noted that agriculture remained the “cornerstone” of Zimbabwe’s economy and that China was “committed to supporting Zimbabwe to improve its agricultural infrastructure”.

China’s support for Zimbabwe’s agriculture include sending expert groups, drilling boreholes, investing in irrigation facilities and support for chicken and rabbit production.

In 2022, China opened up its markets for Zimbabwe citrus exports, and is set to absorb more produce such as macadamia nuts, blueberries and avocado. Peace, securityIn the realm of peace and security, China is actively supporting African countries to achieve peace as part of its Global Security Initiative launched in 2022, and has assisted in efforts to “silence the guns” in the continent’s hotspots while eyeing long term stability.

Zimbabwe is among over 100 countries in support of the GSI, which is seen as China’s alternative paradigm, rivaling Western approaches blamed on starting and execerbating conflicts.

Last December, China gave Zimbabwe an assortmet of military hardware worth US$28 million.China says it has “firmly” supported African countries in their efforts to seek strength and offered help to support Africa in eliminating threats to its peace, security, and stability.

The Asian giant is currently involved in missions in South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Mali.

“Under the framework of the GSI, China has reinforced the synergy with Africa in policy and vision and actively carried out security cooperation,” the report titled,

“Report on the Implementation progress of the Global Security Initiative (2024) says.

“China has continued to provide military assistance to the African Union, actively carried out cooperation in the control of small arms and light weapons,and vigorously supported African countries in maintaining regional security and combating terrorism.”

China has actively supported Africa in its effort to tackle security challenges.

It has kept advancing the implementation of the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa and yielded “significant” results.

In addition, China has carried out joint exercises and training with peacekeeping forces from more than ten African countries and offered support to the International Criminal Police Organization in fighting kidnappings in over forty African countries.China hosted the second and third China-Africa Peace and Security Forums in 2022 and 2023, building consensus on cooperation and bolstering strategic communication between Chinese and African defense departments.

The forums have promoted the introduction and implementation of more defense cooperation measures dedicated to African countries.

Further, as of 2023,China had allocated US$80 million to the Peace and Security Trust Fund of the United Nations, launching 83 projects for training of peacekeepers, anti-terrorism capacity building in Africa, rapid deployment of peacekeeping forces, and UN mediation for peace across the continent,.According to the China Institute of International Studies, China’s effort yielded “positive outcomes”.

Last year,accepting the donation of military equipment from China, President Mnangagwa said the strategic military equipment helped strengthen Zimbabwe’s defence capabilities especially against emerging global threats of terrorism.
Terrorism in neighboring Mozambique has led to concerns about possible regional destabilisation in Southern Africa.

The forthcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit to be held in Beijing, China in September is set to discuss peace and security issues in a unprecedented fashion.

At the 8th Ministerial Conference of Focac held in Dakar, Senegal, in 2021 the two sides laid groundwork for working together reflected in the Dakar Action Plan 2022-2024 that lays out a series of planned engagements in nine strategic areas.

“The two sides will lay special emphasis on defence and military capabilities and actively conduct exchanges and cooperation in fields such as military education, military training, military medicine, logistics support, and maritime security,” the Dakar Action Plan set out.

This represents a significant shift on the interaction between Africa and China, hastened by a much-evolved global situation that has necessitated a rethink on security and mechanisms to tackle challenges, which are ever-increasing and metamorphosing.

According to one think tank from South Africa, peace and security were not initially on FOCAC’s agenda when it started in 2000. “While African countries pushed for this, their Chinese partners were hesitant,” notes Accord in a review. Today, China has become more involved, working with regional bodies and within United Nations peace and security architecture.