China has a growing economic presence in conflict-affected and fragile states such as South Sudan. However, if its engagement is not based on a thorough understanding of the context and the likely impact it will have on local and national actors, it risks worsening conflict dynamics which may in turn threaten Chinese interests.
Saferworld is working with key stakeholders including, Communist Party institutions, government departments, commercial actors, think-tanks, research institutes and non-governmental organisations, to build their understanding of the concept of conflict sensitivity and help them put it into practice.
Economic assistance and investment following conflict can help address the root causes of instability, providing jobs, services and infrastructure, and supporting peacebuilding efforts. But it can also have negative consequences, for example if it reinforces the patterns of economic or political exclusion that give rise to grievances, tensions and violence. Insecurity also has an impact on foreign economic interests: in the case of China putting at direct risk commercial investments, energy security, and the large numbers of Chinese nationals working abroad. As China becomes more sensitive about the consequences of its foreign engagement, there are growing calls from within China to develop more refined methods of risk analysis, including a better understanding of conflict dynamics in conflict-affected states.
In order to promote conflict-sensitive engagement in South Sudan, help Chinese companies manage risk, and maximise the social, environmental and economic benefits for local communities, Saferworld facilitated field research, dialogue and conflict sensitivity training for key Chinese and South Sudanese stakeholders in 2013-14, examining how conflict-sensitive approaches could be put into practice. Through a series of trainings we introduced Chinese investors to conflict sensitivity tools, including conflict risk analysis, stakeholder consultation and managing impacts. Workshops also analysed the risks that political instability pose to Chinese businesses and the ways in which Chinese companies can unintentionally increase tensions. Participants identified preliminary strategies and collaborative approaches to minimise risks and maximise benefits.
South Sudanese civil society experts were invited to the workshops to meet with Chinese business and policy actors to convey their views and concerns directly. This also provided Chinese decision-makers with alternative sources of information on the current political instability in South Sudan. As a result, civil society participants gained a greater understanding of China’s engagement and were better able to hold the Government of South Sudan to account for its relations with China.
Alongside this awareness raising and capacity building, Saferworld facilitated joint field research for Chinese and South Sudanese scholars. This included a visit to the oil producing fields of Unity State, facilitated by the China National Petroleum Corporation, to increase knowledge and understanding on how China’s extractive operations in South Sudan impact on peace and conflict. The scholars have since returned to investigate the impact and implications of December 2013’s outbreak of violence for China’s commercial operations.
Saferworld’s project has successfully promoted conflict sensitivity among key Chinese actors, increasing their understanding of its importance and its relevance in the case of South Sudan. Chinese company representatives are also beginning to see the benefits of consultation and communication to gain local acceptance for their projects, which they now view as a more effective risk management strategy than relying on government security services which are often targets themselves in conflict zones and party to the conflict in many regions.
Saferworld is continuing to work with key Chinese stakeholders to put more conflict-sensitive practices in place. For example, we recently began working with Sinohydro, a major Chinese state-owned enterprise, to conduct a conflict analysis of a planned hydropower project in South Sudan. Saferworld will generate specific recommendations for how the company’s policies and practices could be made more conflict-sensitive.
