Cassava Tuesdays: BRIC by BRICK, South Africa is loosing Soft Power

WHAT or Where is the Soft Attraction to Africa?

The regional and global presence of South Africa is undeniable. The country belongs to international organizations such as the BRICS, IBSA and the G-20. Membership alone with such powerful economic giants has gained the rainbow nation middle power status and hegemonic influence in African International Relations.

Middle Power State and behavior is one thing but Soft Power...........

“It is complicated… It is always just so complicated with South Africa”

— Water & Cassava

SOFT POWER
 

The application of Soft Power by states in the global system is not limited to just the seductiveness and attractiveness of political values, culture, and policies. States must also analyze their current political sociology while synchronously developing, crafting, and nourishing their unique soft power.

The seductiveness and attractiveness of political values, culture and foreign policies of “State A” must be enjoyed by close neighbors and regional neighbors. It is after this stage, that it can go onto the global stage. Above all of this, citizens must believe and “benefit” from it, may it be what they see daily or from the overall economic health of the state.

In the event that only selected few are enjoying this soft power, the state will loose it bric by BRICK.

The  "A"  Word 

It would be extremely dismissive not to mention the Apartheid era of South Africa as I attempt to explain South Africa soft power. So before S.A could appreciate the good in bye by ending the apartheid government and becoming the rainbow nation, it was a country that existed on the application of extreme hard power to citizens and neighbors. 

“What is Hard Power? The use of military response from countries in International Relations.”

The application of military interventionism in apartheid S.A by then President Pieter Willem Botha contributed to the destabilization of spaces in the region. There was also enforcement of racial separation and complete control of social and economic interactions of the white minority population towards the colored majority.  The cost of such hard power in this portion of S.A history will put a $60 billion dent to the economy, including the lost of 2 million lives and catastrophic civil wars in Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

South Africa Soft Power

Just a snap of South African Soft Power

“Show me the money.........................Wait, Show me the Rand??”

— Water & Cassava

Total trade between South Africa and the East African region in 2016 was R25.5 billion, an increase from 2015's R23.6 billion.

Foreign Direct Investment from January- March alone of this year was R15.3 billion. 

Over 10 million tourists visited the country in 2016 spending R75 billion.

Despite such profits that come from the nation's persuasive soft power, the country has slowly regressed to some familiar dark behavior. 

While there are arguments for the issues and concerns on behalf of the foreigners and the native people in South Africa, it should be noted that governance has failed both groups. 

“Ubuntu???”

Socioeconomic concerns, political factors, parliamentary drama that is simply something to watch and not explain....

..... Xenophobia, racial tension, high levels of poverty and unemployment...  Did I mention the protesting in the university sectors and mine sectors?

“Where is Ubuntu?
Be Kind and respect others......”

— (My Primary School teacher)Interpretation varies

What about Identity concerns??

English or Afrikaans??? 

Soft Power Diplomacy is what states do and not what they say or present. As, I mentioned your constituents better believe you are soft, attractive and benefit them as you wish for others to believe. These videos show a South Africa on a dangerous path of loosing "Ubuntu-Soft Power" appeal bric by brick. 

Perhaps other African middle power states can take advantage of this moment to work on their soft power status. Countries that come to mind: Nigeria, Angola, Morocco and Egypt. 

Maybe, this is also the fact that South Africa is still in the infancy stages of state growth from the ending of the apartheid movement. You can't hurry these things right? I mean look at South Korea's global soft power and then their everyday practice, it can be questionable at the very least.  

 

Mulday Monday Celebrates (WWW#2017) Water World Week

To learn more about World Water Week and it's relevance to Global Health including key actors..
 

Silk Road Thursdays: China Soft Power Stadium Diplomacy

Welcome to China, special thanks to the Anonymous creator for this infographic :)

Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai delivered the "Eight principles for China's Economic & Technical Assistance" to Ghana in 1964, this continues to be the framework of modern day China. 

Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai

This is the difference between China and (PLUG IN ANY FORMER COLONIAL COUNTRY). 

“It is better to attack the enemy’s mind than to attack his fortified cities. ”

— Sun Tsu, Author of the Art of War (544 BC- 496 BC)

Ancient China had a fine appreciation for strategy and diplomacy. They understood that Hard Power was not the only option towards conflict, and that with power came great responsibility.

“..Kong Zi or Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) stressed the limitation and regulation of power. Rather than war, Confucius’ teachings focused on education and humanity. Mencius (372 BC – 289 BC), another great thinker of the time, also denounced wars with the idea that benevolent kings who could easily win over masses had no enemies..”

— Ding, Sheng, The Dragon’s Hidden Wings: How China Rises with its Soft Power, UK: Lexington Books, 2008 p. 24

 The Soft Power of China in Africa spaces stirs up a lot of feelings, while some view this as hope for a brighter future, others see it as photocopied version of European colonization. This seems to be a common analysis of soft power influences of Asia in Africa.

The argument that China only understands soft power or the impact of state influence through the lenses of "International Relations": (PLUG IN ANY EUROPEAN BASED IDEOLOGY) is just another powerful example of eurocentrism  in understanding International relations and state dynamic. 

    CAN YOU GIVE YOUR NEIGHBOR SOME CHEENEE, SHUGAR, SUGAR, TANG (糖)?

This brings me to an expression of my father's people, (My father is an American, from the Lone Star State! Oh for you outsiders you can say TEXAS!!)

There is an expression used by neighbors, when they find each other attractive. The key here is, "ATTRACTION MUST BE MUTUAL".  Please understand, this is such an old school approach, today we just text each other or give a very focused wave. There is an art to waving and saying hello, please ask a southerner! 

Walk towards your neighbor's place of residence and knock the door:

"Can I have some sugar?" Now if your neighbor is attractive, you will get the SUGAR. If they are not, you will be told of the severity of diabetes in the family or that door will not move an inch. You will find yourself leaving sugar alone and opt for honey. 
 

Joseph Nye (The Legend behind the term Soft Power) stressed soft power is only as attractive and persuasive as your neighbors believe you to be. China's neighbors(Japan, India, Vietnam, Philippines, and so many more) don't want the SUGAR! There are some other countries in Asia that do, but for the most part NO SUGAR! China now enjoys not SUGAR but honey with friends across the other side of the world: South America and Africa.

One of the ways China enjoys Soft Power is through the building of football stadiums know as, Stadium Diplomacy in Africa.

“34/54 Africa countries have football stadiums because of China.”

— China Soft Power-Stadium Diplomacy

Amaan Stadium-Zanzibar, Tanzania. This was the first stadium to be built in Africa by the Chinese Administration in 1970 with a seating capacity of 15,000.

The reason for Stadium Diplomacy! Estádio 11 de Novembro -Luanda, Angola. This smile on her face, the amount of people that for this moment are just Angolans! They are not poor, sick Africans! They are Angolans, a country in Southern Africa enjoying a football game.

These are the countries that have benefited from Stadium Diplomacy.
Sorry to the following countries: Cape Verde, Seychelles and Mauritius. After loading this up, I thought to myself, you remember to put your company logo and missed three countries. :)

  Have you ever attended a football match in Africa? It doesn't matter the country, just have you ever attended a football match in Africa? Local or national, it is a moving opera. 

One thing about football you must understand, there is an art of trash talking that occurs on behalf of patriotism. This holy ritual is so powerful that just one side matters, YOUR COUNTRY!

World Cup Italy 1990 changed the football world forever. Two very important lessons occurred:

1. Roger Miller father of the Indomitable Lions, the greatest that ever did it, the father of African football dished out an ass whopping, kicking of the ass, owning that ass to Colombia (2-1). 

2. Father of African football Roger Milller danced Makossa music on the field. This forever changed how football teams celebrated victory and also the respect of African football players in football matches.
 

FOOTBALL is part of those fibers that hold the continent as ONE AFRICA. We might have our differences but football matches such as the World Cup, Africa Cup give us visual representation and a voice! The building of such new massive infrastructures stimulates local economies around the area and give people a sense of pride and identity. 

The stadiums provide a break from all of IT! It gives the people a sense of a patriotism and a sense of belonging to a community that focuses on the skill set to win a match  vs the lack of skills in modernity. Stadiums are also part of a country's brand identity and this is an area that African countries desperately need to work on if they want to be global players in diplomacy. 

The brand of Africa is often linked to suffering, poverty and the metaphor for the definition of HELL on earth. Stadium Diplomacy is cultural diplomacy from China vs. the diplomacy of the west towards Africa which is the continuation of "Diplomacy of Dependency". 

China actually believes that the African intellect is diverse enough to appreciate and benefit from niche diplomacy and it is for this reason why bigger stadiums will be built.  

This is just one of many examples of China in Africa spaces. I am aware many see nothing right about China in Africa. I must remind you for the last four centuries, our other friends have never applied those 8 principles. Africa now has options, but with choices and options also comes great responsibility from both parties. 

Until Next Silk Thursday!

Public Health Wednesdays(PHW)- Join us in Celebrating Breastfeeding Month Awareness

This collage of photos is simply to recognize mothers in Asia and Africa that breastfeed, but so often are absent in visual positive health images in overall public health discussions.

The colored woman's breast is always viewed in extremities, vulgar to primitive. Her breast for some reason are not motherly, they are not nurturing or beautiful. They excite men who simply cannot resist their allure. 

Breast are a food source, which I would think most people would understand this to be truth. How many times have you seen people eat frozen cow snoot? I am sorry, how many times have you seen people eat ice-cream? We can understand the importance of one mammal's milk to us  but not the importance of our females feeding their own, with their milk. 

I will not list the incredible immunity powers that come from a mother breastfeeding her child. I will not bore you with the details of bonding that takes place between mother and child.

However, if you will like more information on breastfeeding,  please click on the link below the photos.

I posted these photos because I don't see these breast in our conversations of breast feeding in Public or Global Health. 
 

The Karo | Omo Valley, Ethiopia ©Isabel Munoz

Masai Mom (Pinterest)

Pinterest

1890, Japanese mom 

Tunisia Mom 1800's

18th Century Japan (Pinterest)

Fulani Mama (Pinterest)

Mursi(Ethopia) Mama

Black Lahu Thai Mom, Thailand- Photo by John Spies

.....Because we never see this baby....Please read that again.

Cassava Tuesdays: Africa Gastrodiplomacy

             The Heavens and Food   

                Ambrosia of ancient Greece gave immortality to the Gods which allowed them to govern mankind.  The Golden Apples in Norse Mythology that allows the Nordic Gods to stay alive and immortal to rule mankind. Peaches of Immortality in Ancient China, Yams for the Igbo Tribe(Nigeria) is used to honor the Earth goddess Ala. In the Abrahamic faiths, food is used as a form of governance with foods considered "unholy" and "holy", there is even a particular way to prepare food and animals. Humans, who do not prescribe to such governance, negatively affect their chance to enter heaven.
        Food is a material and symbolic representation of culture; it allows people to communicate values, attitudes and identities. Delicate and Rare cuisine is associated with high social ranks in society. Cooking and Hospitality create opportunities for dialogue and often the first step towards diplomacy. .  
         Gastrodiplomacy is an edible soft power, unlike other soft power examples; you can drink, eat, touch and smell it. The new diplomatic language of the 21st century diplomat is- Does the world speak and understand your country’s cultural diplomacy?  In addition, how does your country use cultural diplomacy as a national brand tool?

Examples of Countries that appreciate Food in the conversation of Diplomacy:  South Korea "Global Hansik"or Kimchi Diplomacy, Malaysia Kitchen, Global Thai (Thailand), Peru Mucho Gusto (Peru), Have you checked out the Nordic Movement in Food? Nordic Food Diplomacy (Norway/Sweden/Denmark)

Peru

Nordic Gastronomy -New Nordic Kitchen New Nordic Cuisine

CASSAVA DIPLOMACY: GASTRODIPLOMACY

The identity of Africa is often painted with negative representation through the many forms of media. This negative representation is portrayed in western spaces and spaces in the east such as South Korea, China and Japan.  Africa is always portrayed as primitive, chaos and one disaster waiting to happen form the last previous disaster still happening. These images and narratives make it extremely difficult to picture a vibrant food culture of Africa. It makes it close to impossible to believe that food from Africa is tasty, delicious or appealing. Africa is home to tropical cuisine with a diversity in vegetables, fruits and spices like no other continent. It is home to rich succulent tomato based dishes, spicy stews, fluffy grains, sweet savory fried plantains, steamed sweet savory fresh corn tamales(Koki Corn), grilled beefs and chicken dishes with spices that dance in your mouth and so much more. Food is just one of many branding tools in Cassava Diplomacy available for African countries.

 

Roasted Plantains

May this picture allow you to taste sweet savory tomatoes on the roof of your mouth, spices dance on your tongue, succulent pieces of chicken and meat that hold on to the egusi swimming in peanut oil. 
Egusi are grounded melon seeds :) 

ESE & SEGYE will launch a Cameroonian-fusion restaurant, Keeka & Lisu in Seoul, South Korea with the goal of using food to promote dialogue and promote overall Bantu culture. We are still in the very early stages of planning.

Until next time,