Reaching out to Africa

Sri Lanka has decided to establish diplomatic relations with a multiplicity of African countries and to those unfamiliar with the basic tenets of this country's foreign policy, this may come as something of a surprise. However, when the fundamental orientations of Sri Lanka's foreign policy are taken into consideration it would be realized that 'reaching out' to Africa is only a logical and organic extension of this country's foreign policy trajectory.

Some of the countries mentioned in the relevant Cabinet decision, with which Sri Lanka would be establishing diplomatic ties are: Burkina Faso, Republic of Chad, Republic of Djibouti, Central African Republic, Gabonese Republic, Republic of Cameroon, and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. If some are looking quizzically at this initiative, it is because some local minds have habituated themselves to the belief that it is the West that is mainly the 'world.'

This is an unfortunate carry over from colonial times and their Western-centric viewpoint on international relations. No doubt, these perspectives would have only received a tremendous boost over the past 30 years or so when neo-liberal economic policies and concomitant political liberalization measures burst in upon the world scene, whereas, one would have expected the colonial mindset to gradually wither away in what are considered these post-colonial times. This poses the question of how real political independence is to some post colonial states, but a discussion of this issue is beyond the scope of this commentary.

Among other things, such posers draw attention to the need for one-time subject states to not only obtain formal political independence from former colonizing powers but to also achieve what is referred to by first rate political thinkers, such as Frantz Fanon and others of his ilk, as the 'decolonizing of the mind.'

Political and economic independence needs to be necessarily accompanied by intellectual independence and the adoption of world views which would further the interests of the decolonized states. All local sections cannot claim to have achieved much in the latter task of 'decolonizing the mind.' Therefore, if some are tending to question the need on the part of the Lankan state to strengthen its relations with Africa, this should not come as a surprise.

But given the fundamental premises of our post-independence foreign policy, it is with all sections of the developing world, however, that we need to steadily strengthen our relations. The expansion of our ties with Africa should receive a fresh impetus from the economic vibrancy visible in some major African states, including South Africa, which is part of the BRICS grouping of states. The latter is an emerging economic heavyweight among alliances of states and it is only in the fitness of things that we strengthen our ties with Africa.

The aim of the policy of Non-alignment is the bolstering of our relations with all states of the world in a spirit of cordiality. This policy perspective also seeks to bring the developing world together for the purpose of achieving collective economic betterment and prosperity. Time has proved the absolute validity of the policy Non-alignment. Now more than ever before the developing countries need to come together to forge ahead on the political, economic and cultural fronts.

Besides the brightening economic prospects of many countries of Africa and East Asia, we need to see the importance of the political support these regions of the world could offer us.

This was driven home to us at the time of the anti-Lanka resolution moved by the West at the UNHRC sessions in March this year. At that time of need, it was the developing world that proved our worthiest allies, including significant parts of Africa. It is perfectly sensible, then, for Sri Lanka to increasingly reach out to Africa.