Tito’s Legacy: Balkan-African Relations from Yugoslavia to the Present
During the mid-20th century, a period of significant shifts on the world political map, Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito aimed to build strong relationships with African nations fighting for independence.
Navigating the bipolar order of the Cold War with a foreign
policy independent of both Western and Soviet influence, Tito intended to
create a new balance of power in Africa. The Yugoslav leader offered a
different alternative to newly independent African countries caught between the
Western and Soviet blocs. Yugoslavia's relations with Africa would not be
limited to economic and technical cooperation alone but would also become part
of the anti-colonial struggle.
Tito in Africa
By the late 1950s, many African countries were beginning to
break free from colonialism and gain independence. Tito showed intense interest
in Africa during this period because these nations were seen as potential
members of the Non-Aligned Movement, which aimed to pursue an independent
foreign policy free from Western or Soviet influence. In turn, Africa's
socialist-leaning leaders reciprocated Tito's interest.
Haile Selassie, the leader of Ethiopia, was the first
foreign head of state to pay an official visit to independent Yugoslavia.
In February 1961, Josip Broz Tito visited Ghana, Togo,
Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt to strengthen ties with the
newly independent leaders in Africa and garner support for the Non-Aligned
Movement he planned to establish.
As a key result of this important tour, the Non-Aligned
Movement was officially founded in September of the same year, led by Tito, who
brought together representatives from 28 countries from Africa, Asia, and South
America in Belgrade.
Having its foundations laid at the 1955 Bandung Conference,
the Non-Aligned Movement gave Yugoslavia the opportunity to become a
significant player on the world stage, while also providing a platform for
newly independent African countries to make their voices heard in international
forums.
What Did Yugoslavia Do in Africa?
Throughout his tenure, Tito provided African countries with
technical support, educational scholarships, and infrastructure projects. He
established close economic and diplomatic relations with countries such as
Tanzania, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Ghana. Yugoslavia also exported military
equipment to some African nations.
By the late 1960s, Yugoslav experts began to be involved in
the construction sector across Africa. They built dams, schools, hospitals,
buildings, and roads all over the continent, including railways in Nigeria,
highways in Gabon, an airport in Uganda, and maritime facilities in Libya.
The FINDECO (State Finance and Development Corporation)
building, the tallest skyscraper in Zambia's capital, Lusaka, was constructed
by Yugoslav architects.
Yugoslav companies also built the Parliament building and
International Trade Fair complex in Lagos, Nigeria; a modern university complex
in Ghana; and the Conference Palace in Libreville, Gabon. Yugoslav tractors,
agricultural machinery, and defense industry products were exported to Africa.
Tito visited Gamal Abdel Nasser, who could be considered his
closest ally on the African continent, numerous times and provided military and
diplomatic support to Egypt during the Suez Crisis. Tito was one of the
staunchest supporters of Algeria during its independence process.
Libyan historian Khulud Ali Ghallali notes that Libya
developed very close and productive relations with Yugoslavia, especially
during President Tito's era: "Yugoslav construction companies made
significant investments in Libya, supporting the development of Libya's
infrastructure, and comprehensive cooperation was established, particularly in
the field of healthcare. In return, Libya invested in Belgrade, especially in
the seventies and eighties, and took over the maintenance of mosques in the region.
These relations were based on Libya's (Gaddafi's) policy and orientation of
cooperating with nationalist and socialist states at that time."
African Leaders' Approach to Tito
African leaders saw Tito as a supporter of the anti-colonial
struggle and a pro-independence figure. Tito's establishment of relations with
African countries without dependence on either the Western or Eastern Bloc made
him a reliable partner in their eyes. Yugoslavia's independent foreign policy
offered Africa's new leaders a model of international partnership where they
could prioritize their own interests.
African leaders known for their socialist policies, such as
Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt), Julius Nyerere (Tanzania), Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana),
and Muammar Gaddafi (Libya), saw Tito not only as an ally but also as one of
the leading figures of the post-colonial era. Tito's official visits to Africa
were met with enthusiasm in these countries, and numerous African leaders also
visited the Yugoslav leader. While most African countries were represented at
the level of foreign minister at Tito's funeral, some sent official
delegations.
The Change in Relations Following Tito's Death and the
Dissolution of Yugoslavia
After Tito's death in 1980, Yugoslav-African relations
stagnated. Following Tito's death, Yugoslavia's internal political and economic
problems increased, and the country gradually entered a process of
disintegration. This dissolution negatively affected relations with Africa.
While economic relations continued due to Yugoslavia's need for raw materials,
political relations declined.
The bloody wars in the region and the emergence of new
states severely weakened these countries' diplomatic and economic ties with
Africa. After the breakup of Yugoslavia, the new Balkan states focused on
improving their own economic situations and ensuring political stability, and
relations with Africa could not remain on their agenda for a long time.
However, by the end of the 1980s, Yugoslavia was reaping the
rewards of Tito's strategies; thanks to barter agreements with African
countries, it became the world's largest exporter of cocoa.
What is the Current State of Relations Between Balkan
Countries and Africa?
Today, some Balkan countries are accelerating efforts to
revitalize relations with Africa. While Croatia engages in maritime trade with
some African countries, North Macedonia prefers educational and cultural
cooperation (primarily with South Africa). Among other Balkan countries, Serbia
is the one most interested in Africa. Portraying itself as the heir to
Yugoslavia, Serbia is trying to strengthen its trade and diplomatic relations
with African countries.
In 2017, an exhibition titled "Tito in Africa" was
held at the Museum of Yugoslavia in Belgrade, featuring photographs from Tito's
African visits, gifts given to him by African leaders, and texts describing the
era.
In October 2021, Belgrade celebrated the 60th anniversary of
the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement. The summit, attended by 40 foreign
ministers, many from Africa, brought together hundreds of participants from 105
countries and 11 organizations, and was described as the largest diplomatic
gathering in Europe.
In August 2024, Serbia's First Lady, Tamara Vučić, visited
the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe.
Serbia also hopes to leverage the voting potential of
African countries in the UN General Assembly regarding its relations with
Kosovo, aiming to prevent Kosovo's recognition.
The Future of Balkan Countries' Relations with Africa
Within today's rapidly changing political and economic
dynamics, the role of Balkan countries in Africa is weaker compared to global
and regional powers. Balkan countries, aiming for international influence and
rapid development, will need to seek new paths in technology and industry.
Given that a significant portion of the raw material resources necessary for
production in these fields is in Africa, it can be argued that Balkan states
will need to strengthen relations with Africa to benefit from these resources.
Considering that the voting potential of African countries
in the UN General Assembly is another reason for the global powers' intense
interest in Africa, it can be expected that Balkan countries, located in a
geography frequently experiencing political tensions and rising pressures, will
have to focus on developing strategic relations with Africa.
Sources:
https://afrinz.ru/en/2024/04/titos-african-diplomacy-how-yugoslavia-conquered-the-continent/#:~:text=In%20the%201960s%20and%201980s,as%20a%20matter%20of%20principle.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326201019_Balkan-Afrika_Yakinlasmasinin_Donemsel_Niteligi
https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/483210/Povratak-Srbije-na-kontinent-buducnosti
https://muzej-jugoslavije.org/en/exhibition/tito-u-africi-slike-solidarnosti/
https://www.yuhistorija.com/int_relations_txt01.html
https://www.new-east-archive.org/features/show/5337/red-africa-tito-presidential-tour-unofficial-scenes
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