In recent years, relations between Latin American and African countries have seen significant development. Several Latin American nations are seeking to expand their political and economic cooperation and enhance general relations with the 'Black Continent.' This is reflected in the opening of new embassies in African countries and a significant focus on boosting trade exchanges.
This trend is partly based on historical and cultural ties, as a large number of people in Latin America identify as having African origins. In this context, several governments are working to build broader partnerships with African nations, particularly in the fields of economy and development.
On the diplomatic front, Colombia recently hosted two major international events: the summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the first high-level forum bringing together CELAC and African countries. Despite the importance of the CELAC summit, its representation was limited, as many governments in the region aim to maintain positive relations with the United States.
Conversely, the CELAC-Africa forum garnered greater attention, featuring Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who also serves as the chair of the African Union, who presented an overview of political developments in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The demographic and cultural dimension is a key driver of this rapprochement, as people of African descent constitute about a quarter of Latin America's population. In an effort to recognize this shared heritage, several governments are building wider partnerships with African countries, especially in economy and development, alongside strengthening political ties.
Prominent leaders driving this approach include Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his Vice President Francia Márquez, whose government has adopted a clear policy to enhance relations with Africa. This has led to significant growth in trade with several African countries, such as Algeria, Nigeria, and Senegal, as well as a substantial increase in trade with Ethiopia since 2022, albeit from modest initial levels.
These efforts have also included practical steps, such as opening new embassies and strengthening cooperation in sustainable agriculture and logistics. Similarly, other countries have taken similar measures; Mexico established a trade chamber in Nigeria and seeks to enhance its relations with Ghana, while opening an embassy in Rwanda and recording an 11% growth in its trade with Africa over the past three years.
Most of these recent moves towards Africa have been led by leftist leaders. The spread of leftist governments in South American countries for several years has brought some leftist politicians to high office, including the presidency of their nations. Indeed, what became known as the 'Pink Tide' in the late 2000s spurred a boom in cooperation between the two regions, led by left-wing governments seeking to enhance solidarity among 'Southern' nations.
However, this cooperation has not yet reached its full potential, especially with the political shifts in the Americas towards the right, which has affected participation in some joint forums. Nevertheless, researchers argue that cooperation among Southern countries should not be tied to a specific political orientation, as attempts to build 'South-South' relations date back to different periods, including right-wing governments.
At the same time, some Latin American countries face internal and external challenges that may hinder this rapprochement. For instance, Ecuador recently witnessed a controversial incident involving a military operation allegedly targeting drug traffickers, but media reports suggest it hit a civilian site, reflecting the complexities of the security situation in some Latin American nations. In Haiti, the security situation remains a major challenge, with previous attempts to regain control of armed groups failing despite the deployment of international forces. Statistics show a significant rise in violence, especially in the capital Port-au-Prince, which is among the world's most dangerous cities, with the murder rate in Haiti reaching 49 per 100,000 people last year, while in the capital, home to a quarter of the population, it exceeded 140 per 100,000.
According to Reuters, about 800 security personnel from Chad will arrive in Haiti by June as part of a UN-backed international force. They will initially be trained by 'European and American partners.' This force is an expanded version of a UN-backed unit deployed in 2024 that failed to regain control of Haitian territory from gangs.
In conclusion, relations between Latin America and Africa are still in their early stages but hold great potential for growth. The success of this cooperation will depend on the ability of the involved countries to institutionalize it within sustainable frameworks and leverage their shared historical and cultural ties.
