Publication

Since 1989, how have China and Russia reacted to UN Security Council (UNSC) proposals to run peace operations in Africa? According to this report, the two countries 1) have generally pitted themselves against the voting positions of France, the UK and the US; 2) have not necessarily pursued overlapping agendas; 3) have been largely reactive in their approach towards African security, which has undermined their influence in the UNSC on peace matters; and 4) have provided rhetorical support for the inclusion of African positions in UNSC debates, although the backing hasn’t always translated into sympathetic votes. Despite this mottled record, the text’s author closes by stressing that there are opportunities for increased cooperation between China, Russia and African states in the UN and beyond.