Why President Xi’s Global Governance Initiative Matters for Africa and the Global South » Capital News

When Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) at the “SCO Plus” Meeting this week in Tianjin, it was more than just another diplomatic slogan from Beijing. For many across the Global South—particularly in Africa and here in Kenya—the initiative speaks directly to long-standing frustrations with an international order that has consistently marginalised developing nations.

The GGI is anchored on five principles: sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, a people-centred approach, and real action. At first glance, these may sound like abstract diplomatic catchphrases. Yet for Africa, they could serve as tangible levers to address historical injustices and rebalance global power in favour of a truly multipolar world.

For decades, Africa’s sovereignty has often been undermined through externally imposed economic models, military interventions, and political engineering. Sovereign equality under the GGI offers a framework where Kenya, Ghana, or Namibia can stand on the same footing as the United States, China, or France. This is more than symbolic; it challenges the double standards of a system where some nations breach others’ sovereignty under the guise of “humanitarian intervention” or unilateral sanctions, while weaker states are expected to comply without question.

The current global system has been plagued by what Africans often describe as “rules for others, privileges for some.” Trade disputes, climate negotiations, and even the application of international justice have disproportionately targeted the Global South. By committing to uniform application of international law under the UN Charter, the GGI seeks to close this legitimacy gap. For African states, this could mean fairer trade terms, genuine respect for territorial integrity, and protection against exploitative practices dressed up as legality.

Africa has long demanded reforms within the United Nations Security Council and other multilateral platforms, but progress has been painfully slow. Xi’s emphasis on genuine multilateralism—not the “pseudo-multilateralism” of exclusive clubs like the G7 or AUKUS—reaffirms the UN’s central role. For the Global South, this is vital. True multilateralism expands the space for African voices in global decision-making, reducing the dominance of a handful of Western capitals in determining outcomes that affect billions worldwide.

At the same time, Africa faces urgent development crises—poverty, food insecurity, healthcare challenges, climate adaptation, and the digital divide. Too often, global governance structures elevate geopolitics over people’s needs. The GGI’s people-centred principle aligns governance with the aspirations of ordinary citizens. Linked with China’s earlier Global Development Initiative (GDI), it underscores Africa’s calls for infrastructure investment, technology transfer, and sustainable development over endless lectures on governance models.

Global summits are notorious for lofty declarations that fade into inaction. The GGI’s focus on concrete action is therefore significant for Africa, where implementation gaps have long undermined commitments—from climate finance pledges to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. If China can rally the world toward honouring such promises, Africa stands to gain directly, whether through more reliable climate adaptation financing or stronger mechanisms to bridge the digital divide.

Crucially, the GGI does not stand alone. It complements Xi’s other global initiatives: the GDI, the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilisation Initiative (GCI). Together, these outline a comprehensive architecture for multipolarity. The GDI puts development at the centre of the global agenda; the GSI promotes peaceful dispute resolution—vital for a continent scarred by externally fuelled conflicts; the GCI celebrates cultural pluralism against the tide of cultural homogenisation; and the GGI provides the governance framework binding them together.

For Kenya, whose foreign policy is rooted in peace diplomacy, economic pragmatism, and Pan-African solidarity, the GGI offers an opportunity to push for fairer financing systems, inclusive digital governance, and a stronger African voice in shaping rules for emerging frontiers such as artificial intelligence, cyberspace, and space exploration. At the continental level, the initiative resonates with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions a strong, united, and influential Africa. By leveraging the GGI, Africa can translate its demographic dividend into genuine bargaining power, ensuring that global institutions reflect not only population numbers but also the aspirations of the majority world.

The West-led order is visibly faltering under the weight of its contradictions—rising protectionism, unilateral sanctions, and selective application of international law. In this moment of uncertainty, the Global Governance Initiative offers Africa and the wider Global South a chance to pivot toward a fairer, multipolar system—one built on inclusivity, mutual respect, and shared progress.

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