Fresh chance for peace in Horn of Africa

China to hold conference that aims to tackle regional instability, envoy says

China will hold the first peace conference for the Horn of Africa in the first half of this year as part of its efforts to enhance security in the region.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi on Saturday, Xue Bing, China's newly appointed envoy to the Horn of Africa, said the meeting will offer a platform for the countries in the region to settle their differences through negotiations.

Ethiopia and Kenya have agreed to host the conference aimed at bringing regional countries together in addressing insecurity and instability that continues to ravage parts of the region, Xue said.

"The Horn of Africa region is home to countries that have traditional relations with China. We are strategic partners. This area is strategically located and abundant in resources. The potential of development is huge.

"At the same time, there are issues of peace and security like differences over boundaries, ethnic and religious conflicts. So peace and security is important, and that is why China put forward the dialogue of peace and development to provide a platform for countries to come together to settle their differences through consultations and negotiations."

Countries he has visited in the region, including Kenya, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Ethiopia, had expressed hope that China will play a more active role on matters of peace and security apart from socioeconomic development in the Horn of Africa, he said.

"They said China should do more, and China has the ability to do more in this area. This area has long suffered the external relations from Western countries. Some of the countries are just fed up with the foreign interventions and preaching from Western countries."

Most countries in the Horn of Africa are facing instability, including delayed elections and conflict in Somalia, the political crisis in Sudan following a coup, the Tigray fighting in Ethiopia, and the delay in the implementation of the South Sudan peace deal.

During a tour of three African countries at the beginning of the year, China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi proposed the Initiative of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa, aimed at supporting countries in the region to achieve long-term stability, prosperity and development in an independent way, because China is ready to play a constructive role in this endeavor.

Xue said the fact that China decided to appoint a special envoy to the Horn of Africa is a demonstration of the seriousness with which the country's foreign affairs ministry takes the region.

"My first priority here is to seek more comments and suggestions about China's proposal, and I encourage the regional countries to come together very quickly for the first peace conference."

Following Xue's visits to Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya, his next stops will be Uganda and South Sudan.