Hard for US to recover PR damage in Africa after Floyd’s death

编者按：

佛洛伊德之死，引发美国数十个城市发生大规模抗议、甚至暴乱，震惊国际社会。

浙师大非洲研究院兼职研究员沈诗伟在撰文Hard for US to recover PR damage in Africa after Floyd’s death（《佛洛伊德之死加剧美国与非洲国家公共关系危机》），文章就非洲裔美国人弗洛伊德之死引发的全美几十个城市掀起的反种族主义运动及美国政府的应对反应一事，指出美国政府言行不一、自相矛盾的做法正在损害美国与非洲国家的公共关系。美国与其在社交媒体费尽心力，不如采取切实举措以保护全球非洲人的基本权益。

文章6月3日发表于GLOBAL TIMES，产生了广泛影响，现本公众号转发如下：

People hold signs and protest during a rally after a Minneapolis Police Department officer allegedly killed George Floyd on Tuesday in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A video of a handcuffed black man dying while a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck for more than five minutes sparked fresh furor in the US over police treatment of African Americans. Photo: AFP

The death of African American George Floydhas shocked African countries and the African Union (AU). But even as USdiplomats and embassies across Africa quell fires to save public relationscrises, Zimbabwe has refuted accusations by US National Security AdvisorO'Brien that Harare is a "foreign adversary" who is stirring ananti-racism campaign over George Floyd's death.

Here is a question: How would Western mediaand US politicians portray massive riots and protests if George Floyd had diedin some African country while in police custody? A similar question is asked inthe Global Opinions section of the Washington Post: How would Western mediacover Minneapolis if it happened in another country?

Maybe a clue to these questions could befound in the statement of US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols, who wassummoned by Zimbabwe's foreign minister. He wrote, "I again urgedZimbabwe's government to end state-sponsored violence against peacefulprotesters, civil society, labor leaders and member of the opposition inZimbabwe." But at the same time, the Trump administration is mobilizingmilitary and deploying National Guards to each state to quell protests.Stigmatizing US protestors as thugs, Trump tweeted that "when the lootingstarts, the shooting starts."

More importantly, US self-contradictingresponses regarding violent protesters in the US and in Zimbabwe willdefinitely undermine its political morality to criticize African countries everagain. 

Is this the right way to save US publicrelations with African countries? Maybe a fundamental policy shift is needed inWashington.

"America First" and "AfricaLast" is the theme under this US administration. Under Trump's New AfricaStrategy, former US national security advisor John Bolton emphasized that"every decision we make, every policy we pursue, and every dollar of aidwe spend will further US priorities in the region."

In January 2018, the AU Commissionexpressed alarms at statements made by President Trump's dismissal of Haiti, ElSalvador and African nations as "shit-hole countries." The 54 Africancountries' permanent representatives to the United Nations, and AU, requestedan apology from President Donald Trump. Dozens of former US ambassadors toAfrican countries expressed "worries" over those remarks. The AfricanBureau of the US State Department had to appease the anger like firefighters.And they have had to act fast this time too.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act(AGOA) has stimulated African countries' non-oil exports to the US and createdlots of jobs for Africa. However, the Trump administration's cuts tointernational development, public health, and humanitarian aid to Africa willhinder economic and social transformation there. Especially during the COVID-19pandemic.

Washington promotes a social media campaignto save public relations with African countries, while randomly accusing somecountries' intervention with no hard evidence. Conflicting messages to Africanand US circles is not a good choice. Washington really needs to convey toAfrican leaders and African people that Africa is genuinely a priority for theUS, instead of an arena for an economic and geo-political competition withother powers — as many African leaders are vocally cautioning against.

But theory is one thing. Reality turns outto be another. The protests over Floyd's death will continue to shake Americansociety and Africans' views on the US.

As this year mark the 60 Years of AfricanIndependence, a historic time of liberation, it's the right time for Africancountries, the AU, and African communities in countries like the US tostrengthen unity for protection of the global African diaspora.

Actions speak louder than words. The USreally needs to provide some concrete plans to African countries, instead ofonly tweeting words on social media.

The author is a non-resident fellow withthe Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University, and researchfellow with the Charhar Institute. 

来源 | GLOBAL TIMES

编辑 | 王丽君

审核 | 非洲研究院科研办

浙师大非洲研究院抗疫专题荟萃链接：

非洲情怀

中国特色

全球视野

长按关注

关于我们

浙江师范大学非洲研究院（IASZNU）是在教育部、外交部支持下于2007年成立的中国高校首个综合性、实体性非洲研究院，经十余年发展已成为有广泛影响力的中国非洲研究机构与国家对非事务智库，成为国内首个拥有非洲研究“长江学者”特聘教授的学术机构，是教育部区域和国别研究基地、教育部浙江师范大学中国南非人文交流研究中心、外交部“中非联合研究交流计划指导委员会指导单位”和“中非智库10+10合作伙伴计划”中方智库、教育部“中非高校20+20合作计划”单位、浙江省2011协同创新中心、浙江省新型重点专业智库。

      近年来，非洲研究院自2016年以来连续第四次入选《全球智库报告》“最佳区域研究中心”（大学附属），还先后入选中国社科院"中国智库综合评价核心智库榜单”、“南京大学中国智库索引（CTTI）”中国高校智库百强A+、《2018年中国智库报告》高校智库（特色）系统影响力排行榜第4、《中华智库影响力报告（2018）》高校智库影响力排行榜第9，等。

About us

Established in 2007, the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, is the first comprehensive and substantive African Research Institute based in China’s universities. In the decade since its founding, the Institute has remained focused on both producing influential academic output, as well as cultivating scholars in African Studies from both China and Africa, gaining reputation as a highly influential academic institution both at home and abroad. At the onset of its second decade, the Institute of African Studies intends to move towards a more regionalized, nationalized, distinctive and internationally oriented direction in its research. At the same time, the institute will continue to encourage young and upcoming scholars to conduct research, and provide them with the necessary support.

Qui sommes-nous

L’IASZNU a été fondée en Septembre 2007 sous les auspices du Ministère de l’Éducation (MOE) et le Ministère des Affaires Étrangères (MFA). Parmi les Universités chinoises, c’est le premier Institut complet créé spécialement pour les études africaines. Après plus de 10 années de développement, l’IASZNU est devenue un Institut d’études et un Think Tanks très influent sur les affaires africaines en Chine qui possède un « Savant du Chang Jiang » des études africaines. Il est le Think Tanks chinois sur le  « Plan Think Tanks du Partenariat Chine-Afrique 10 + 10 » et un des établissements guides sur le « Plan de Recherche Conjointe et d’Echange Chine-Afrique » du Ministère des Affaires Étrangères. Il est sélectionné par le Ministère de l’Éducation pour « La Coopération Universitaire Chine-Afrique 20+20 », en tant que base principale pour des études du continent et des études spécifiques de pays. Il est également sélectionné par la Province du Zhejiang comme le Centre d’Innovation Collaborative 2011, la base de recherche de la Philosophie et des Sciences Sociales dans la province de Zhejiang. L’IASZNU a été classé parmi les meilleurs Think Tanks (affiliés à une Université) au monde pendant deux années consécutives, en 2016 et en 2017, par le Global Think Tanks Index publié annuellement par la Pennsylvanie Université. En 2018, l’Institut a été classé comme l’un des meilleurs Think Tanks affilié à une université en Chine avec le classement A + du système de classement chinois (CTTI).