In this entry I will talk about how South Sudan has become a geopolitical area of interest for actors like China, which I will focus on throughout the explanation.
How what began as a secession process that would give rise to the Youngest state in the international community It has become an international conflict that lasts more than 7 years, and the reason for this:
Conflict in South Sudan
El South Sudan conflict It is extremely complex.
Amongst the internal actors The President (Kiir) and the Vice President -Machar-, the Sudan People's Liberation Army, the Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups, and relations with North Sudan stand out; among the international actors: USA and China, who seek the continuous confrontation to maximize your profits; and, among the regional, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo -among others-, whose economies depend on this country.
This war lasts more than five years; and as in all wars, they have violated constantly Human Rights, Political and civil rights, International Humanitarian Law, just as it has been prevented the effective help of Non-Governmental Organizations or one's own United Nations Organization.
Refugee camps have been directly attacked, civilians, journalists, and volunteers have been murdered. And in the face of all this, the international community has not yet reacted effectively.
A United States (member of the United Nations Security Council) is interested in war, China is interested in stopping it, but without losing their privileges, and the rest of the States look to the side.
Moreover, the African Union It does not allow the International Criminal Court to intervene to judge crimes against humanity committed by political leaders, who, in turn, are not willing to collaborate in ending the conflict until they are assured that they will enjoy impunity.
View: Conflict in South Sudan (2013-2019)
The People's Republic China and South Sudan
South Sudan is a country with oil reserves.
That is, for actors like China, that is extending its area of influence in Africa and that it needs secure energy sources to continue its economic development is quite interesting.
In the 80 decade of one is discovered new oil reserve in Sudan. Obviously, North American companies tried to exploit them, but, after the beginning of the Civil War between the North and South of the country and the imminent danger that befell them they decided to retreat, which gave him a opportunity to Beijing, that he wouldn't let her escape.
The bilateral relations between both countries since 1959 were their best asset, and the three main Chinese oil companies -“China National Petroleum Corporation”, Sinopec Group and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) – managed to settle in the country.
Despite of isolationism to which the country was subjected during the 80's, China maintained relationships and In the 90's Omar Al Bashir asked them for their help to exploit production.
That is, China had exclusive access to this new market, on which Sudan's industry and economy were built.
With secession, Beijing's main objective was secure your oil assets, that are found in the South.
so your strategy fluctuated between maintaining their commercial relations with the North, while shifting their attention to the South.
Despite the difficulty, apparently, it worked for them, and despite the secession, they signed contracts with the new country.
However, the distrust of the population and Sudanese government by oil companies increased as the conflict progressed.
On the one hand, for many the main cause of the Civil War lay with the oil companies.
These would have helped the destabilization of South Sudan financing North Sudan during the transition; in addition to having encouraged the maintenance of the war by providing weapons in the country from 2011 to 2015.
And for others, these companies They pollute water, alter nature, and destroy what is necessary to create the infrastructure for these births, resulting in very little benefit to society.
China Today
Today, China, Apparently, he is working on improving his image in the country through diplomatic relations with both the North and the South and mediating between both sides in the Civil War.
Additionally, they are working on the Corporate Social Responsibility, with which it also aims to help the country's population. He has created wastewater treatment plants, and is working on both infrastructure reconstruction projects (like Juba airport), as well as building them directly (hospitals).
Obviously, behind it are their economic interests to recover the investments of recent decades and to continue maximizing their benefits; in addition to, of course, controlling energy resources as a geopolitical strategy against the United States, which holds power over most of the continent and which already intervened in the signing of the global peace agreements between Sudan and South Sudan threatening the government with imposing economic sanctions if they did not end the War with the main intention that the secession became effective and China was forced to break bilateral agreements with the country.
View: South Sudan and China sign two infrastructure development agreements
Conclusion
Which apparently it was an interethnic conflict caused by rivalry between tribes, it is really a war caused by a personalistic, corrupt government, that he has used clientelistic networks as a means to enrich himself and remain in power and that he laid the foundations of a kleptocracy; for some armed forces that do not defend the people but to their political and economic leaders who have not hesitated to use the historical reluctance of the ethnic groups to further inflame the situation; for one international community with ineffective international organizations in the face of a country devastated with one of the worst humanitarian crises in history; and for some subjects of International Law such as States that use their ability to intervene to maintain the situation and enrich themselves, as well as increasing its influence in the area.
How this conflict will end is difficult to know. Until human lives count more than oil, money, the people unite and the international community does not help economically, militarily, socially and politically, it will be very difficult for this to end.
More international troops, both from the UN and the African Union, are necessary to stabilize the situation in the country and provide security. In addition to diplomatic intervention that helps achieve the reintegration of the country.
Perhaps, one option would be to act as in Zimbabwe, and to redraft a Constitution that would establish democracy and compliance with the rule of law, deposing the leaders and helping the country's peaceful transition. But, with all the interests behind it, it is difficult to find a short-term solution.
LL.M in International Business Law and Law from ISDE and graduated in Law and International Relations from Loyola University. CEO and business internationalization consultant at Reáculoateypunto.
An analysis that is too white and with very little reflection regarding the consequences; nor the nuance about what it means for the UN Armed Forces to intervene. Sentences too long.