By Gerald Mbanda
Africa stands at a critical crossroads in a rapidly changing global order; where sometimes you find that African countries are often placed in an uncomfortable position, pressured to “choose sides.” This framing is both unnecessary and counterproductive. Africa does not benefit from binary geopolitical thinking. Instead, the continent needs the freedom and strategic space to work with all partners—East and West—based on its own development priorities and sovereign interests.
Too often, engagement from the United States toward Africa is accompanied by lectures and conditional expectations, particularly urging African governments to distance themselves from China. Such approaches ignore Africa’s agency and reinforce outdated hegemonic attitudes. Global competition today should not be about dominance or exclusion, but about cooperation, complementarity, and mutual benefit. Africa’s engagement with China is not an act of defiance against the West; it is a pragmatic response to development needs in infrastructure, trade, technology, and industrialization, innovation and much more.
Geopolitical rivalries rooted in hegemonic principles undermine the spirit of multilateralism that the world urgently needs. Challenges such as climate change, global health crises, food insecurity, and technological inequality do not respect ideological boundaries. Whether a country follows capitalism, socialism, or a hybrid model, cooperation is essential. Respecting each nation’s choice of governance and development path is a foundational principle for a peaceful international system.
Africa’s interests are best served through diversified partnerships. The continent can work with the United States in areas such as education, innovation, governance reforms, and private-sector development, while simultaneously collaborating with China on infrastructure, manufacturing, trade, and technology transfer. These relationships are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, they can be mutually reinforcing if managed transparently and strategically.
Equally important is the recognition that the United States and China themselves must find constructive ways to work together. The idea that global progress depends on one power prevailing over another is deeply flawed. Cooperation between these two major economies in trade, investment, environmental protection, science, and technology would generate global benefits, especially for developing regions like Africa. A world divided into competing blocs risks instability, economic fragmentation, and prolonged insecurity.
China’s foreign policy approach, particularly its emphasis on peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, resonates with many countries in the Global South. China does not generally demand that its partners adopt a specific political ideology or governance model. This non-interference principle appeals to nations that have historically experienced external imposition and conditional engagement. While no global actor is without shortcomings, partnerships based on respect rather than coercion create stronger foundations for long-term cooperation.
A peaceful world is not built through pressure, sanctions, or ideological conformity. It is built through dialogue, mutual learning, and shared interests. Countries can learn from one another without abandoning their identities or systems. The United States can learn from China’s rapid infrastructure development and long-term planning, just as China can learn from American innovation, research ecosystems, and institutional experience. Africa, in turn, can adapt lessons from both while crafting solutions suited to its unique realities.
Ultimately, Africa should not be a battleground for global rivalries but a partner in shaping a more inclusive international order. Respect, cooperation, and multilateral engagement must replace unhealthy competition and zero-sum thinking. When countries acknowledge each other’s sovereignty and work together despite differences, a more stable, prosperous, and peaceful world becomes not just possible, but achievable.
Gerald Mbanda is a researcher and publisher on China-Africa Cooperation and development.
