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S. African Professor Advocates for UN Security Council Reform and Stronger Africa-China Cooperation

© AP Photo / Greg BakerChina's President Xi Jinping, bottom, speaks at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
China's President Xi Jinping, bottom, speaks at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 06.09.2024
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Since 2000, China and African nations have alternately hosted the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing and African capitals. This platform boosts China's influence in Africa while advancing the One Belt - One Road initiative. Sputnik Africa interviewed a South African professor about China-Africa relations and more.
Significant reforms of the UN Security Council and greater cooperation between Africa and China are needed to address global inequality, Emmanuel Matambo, Research Director at the University of Johannesburg's Center for Africa-China Studies, South Africa, told Sputnik Africa.
The professor highlighted that by working together, these nations can help foster a more balanced and equitable global order.

"The first thing is to reform the United Nations Security Council. If we [Africa] want a bigger voice, we must go there as Africa," he said, stressing the need for a unified African approach to the global body.

Matambo believes such reform could help create a "world that caters for everyone," where Africa can exert significant "moral force" on the international stage.
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The professor also emphasized the historical synergy between Africa, China, and Russia, recalling their joint efforts in the fight against colonialism on the African continent.
"In today's world, they can challenge unipolarity because of the resources they are endowed with," he added.
This cooperation is particularly evident through the BRICS alliance, which the professor believes plays a crucial role in balancing global power dynamics due to its inclusion of UN Security Council members.
Addressing the US's frequent "weaponization of the dollar," Matambo acknowledged that while it has been an effective tool for Washington, "it's not an ideal thing." He suggested that collaboration between African nations and emerging powers like China can offer an alternative path forward, potentially reshaping the current economic and political systems.
With these partnerships, the professor envisioned a future where Africa has a more prominent role in global governance, helping to establish a more equitable and multipolar world.
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