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An International Look at the Darfur Crisis: China's Stakes in Darfur

Chinese President Xi Jinping shaking hands with South Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir (2015)

In the midst of violence in the Darfur region, China chose to abstain rather than work with the rest of the United Nations to impose economic and travel sanctions on the "Darfur Four" (Algeria, Pakistan, China, and Russia). The "Darfur Four" is a group of nations with major oil investments in Sudan. Their contributions to the oil industry have indirectly contributed to hundreds of human rights abuses, yet China maintains its abstention- a marked political statement revealing the power of international bodies in this crisis.

China has taken many self-preserving actions in order to diminish the severity of the issue in Darfur. Despite the criticisms of many western nations, China has blocked attempts made by the United Nations to prosecute militia members who have been accused of human rights atrocities and refused to speak out against the government's role in mass killings. These efforts are not without motivation, as we can see that China has invested in around $10 billion in Sudan since the 1960s (PBS News Hour). 

The photo above was taken in 2015, showing that China still maintains stakes in South Sudan and has influence over Darfur.

If you'd like to read more about foreign relations in the Darfur region visit:

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia/china-welcomes-sudans-war-crime-accused-leader-old-friend

https://psmag.com/social-justice/how-a-war-criminal-is-staying-in-power-in-sudan

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/politics-jan-june06-china-darfur_04-25

Questions to consider:

1. What can foreign powers do about the issues in the Darfur region?

2. Is it a foreign power's obligation to be involved in the issue?

3. What responsibilities does the Sudanese government have in foreign relations?

Comments

  1. MarekFebruary 26, 2021 at 5:47 PM

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    1. MarekFebruary 26, 2021 at 5:48 PM

      I think foreign involvement is an important step toward uplifting the people of Darfur and ending the genocide. Foreign powers have a number of tools at their disposal to place economic and political pressure against the Khartoum government, and aggressive action on these fronts using sanctions and press releases can pressure the government into making concessions and recognizing the violence in Darfur.

      I believe foreign powers that have investments or conflicts of interests in Darfur or Sudan as a whole should not be involved in the issue. The abstention of key UN security council resolutions by the "Darfur Four" (Russia, China, Algeria, and Pakistan) shows that many countries will put their own economic interests above even genocide. However, nations that are willing to provide humanitarian aid to the region and international pressure on Khartoum without using Darfur to promote their own interests have a moral obligation to help end the genocide.

      -Al-Hadi Idris Yahya

      Delete

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