African leaders assembled from September 4 to 6 in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Among African leaders representing over 50 countries, Liberian President, H.E. Joseph Nyumah Boakai also received a red carpet welcome from his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping.
President Jinping pledged over US$50 Billions in financial support to African nations through credit facilities, grants, food aid, military assistance, etc. During his official visit to China, Pres. Boakai along with his entourage signed a variety of Memoranda of Agreements ranging from Agriculture, Maritime, Energy, Infrastructure, etc.
Among other things, the major signing ceremony of a proposed US$3 Billion Deal took place between the Government of Liberia and the Chinese State-Owned Enterprise SUMEC International Technology Ltd.
“We are proposing to build a refinery in Buchanan. The proposal is to spend pretty close to or above USD 3 Billion.” Chinese State-Owned Enterprise SUMEC
In response to SUMEC’s proposal, President Joseph Boakai said, “We are happy to witness this. We thank you for your confidence in our country. We’ve been talking about shared prosperity: working with people for the common good. You can be assured that you are in good hands.”
As Pres. Boakai navigates between China and the United States, this paper has discovered and verified that SUMEC is one of the 103 Chinese and Russian companies that the United States placed on a grey and black list.
“The U.S. Government has determined that the first tranche of 103 entities, which includes 58 Chinese and 45 Russian companies, are ‘military end users’. The Department recognizes the importance of leveraging its partnerships with U.S. and global companies to combat efforts by China and Russia to divert U.S. technology for their destabilizing military programs.” Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce
The BIS further stated, “These companies are ‘military end users’ for purposes of the ‘military end user’ control in the EAR that applies to specified items for exports, reexports, or transfers (in-country) to China, Russia, and Venezuela when such items are destined for a prohibited ‘military end user.”
Political pundits believe that the designation and ban of SUMEC by the U.S. Government places Pres. Boakai in a tight spot since in fact, the U.S. is Liberia’s longstanding traditional ally and biggest donor. According to them, the latest decision by Boakai to embrace a U.S. banned company, SUMEC, may appear like he, Boakai, is stepping on America’s toes.
How Boakai plays his diplomatic cards to navigate through and in between big powers would be something to see as these big powers, the USA and the EU on one hand, and China and Russia on the other, take steps to bring Africa into their folds.
