There were many questions before the AI Safety Summit in the UK: What do the British aim to achieve with their own AI summit, given that the UN, G7, OECD, Council of Europe, and the EU are already working on international rules? What could the British accomplish that has not already been initiated? And why did Prime Minister Rishi Sunak invite China to Bletchley Park? After all, China’s regulations for artificial intelligence and how the country uses AI against its population are precisely what Europeans, Americans and other “like-minded states” seek to protect their people from.
However, unlike US President Joe Biden and the G7, who have extracted a voluntary commitment from AI developers, the developers of particularly advanced AI models at Bletchley Park have agreed to have their models independently tested before they hit the market. The British have also established a corresponding institute.
Props to Mr. Sunak. Ursula von der Leyen could only say that the EU is still discussing the establishment of such an institute. Perhaps the British breach will give EU legislators the necessary push to swiftly agree on the AI law. Otherwise, the lead might soon be squandered.
Sometimes, it does help when leaders meet in person. This is evident in the European conference held by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Berlin, which Manuel Berkel has reported on.
It’s not just a “geopolitical necessity” but also a “geopolitical opportunity” for the EU. Annalena Baerbock tried to inject new momentum and direction into the potential EU expansion during her speech at a European conference at the Foreign Office on Thursday. The working conference, attended by numerous foreign and European ministers, was meant to prepare for the European Council in December, where EU expansion will also be on the agenda.
Russian President Vladimir Putin “will continue to try to plow an imperial trench through Europe, which is intended to separate not only Ukraine from us but also Moldova, Georgia and the Western Balkans.” If these countries are permanently destabilized by Russia, “it makes us all vulnerable.” However, if the EU offers the candidate countries an economic opportunity, it also strengthens the union.
On Nov. 8, the European Commission will present reports on the progress of reforms by EU accession candidates Ukraine and Moldova. Based on these reports, the EU heads of state and government will decide in December whether to start accession negotiations with both countries and whether Georgia should be granted candidate status. Additionally, the European Commission will present assessments of the progress of the Western Balkans and Turkey on their path to EU membership.
The EU is also conducting accession negotiations with Balkan countries such as Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia. In addition to Ukraine and Moldova, Kosovo, Georgia and Turkey are also candidate countries.
According to Baerbock’s vision, candidate countries should be able to enjoy some of the benefits of membership even before formal accession. “Students from North Macedonia who can study in the EU through the Erasmus program make the EU’s appeal tangible,” said the foreign minister. She suggested that the existing opportunities for students could be expanded, such as European mobile roaming or simplified visa procedures.
Government officials from candidate countries should also have the opportunity to participate as observers in meetings of the EU Council of Ministers, provided that individual accession chapters have already been completed. Baerbock also emphasized that “step-by-step integration cannot be selective.” Principles of the rule of law are essential.
Baerbock’s initiative was positively received by the foreign minister of North Macedonia. “We want access to the single market when the rule of law criteria are met,” said Bujar Osmani. His country also needs access to structural and cohesion funds even before full membership. Otherwise, the economic disparities between member and candidate countries will continue to widen.
With regard to Ukraine and its Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Baerbock stressed, “We want Ukraine as a member of our European Union. I am convinced that the European Council in December will also send this signal.”
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister warned of potential frustrations in the accession process, similar to those seen in the Western Balkans. He emphasized, “As an EU member, Ukraine will mean more security for Europe, not less. We will not be a burden to them.”
Turkey has been in long accession negotiations for years. However, due to rule of law deficits, these negotiations have been on hold for years. Addressing the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Baerbock said, “Substantial reforms are also the key issue here.”
Fidan noted that more than 50 years have passed since his country applied for membership. Turkey’s perspective has not changed. He expressed a willingness to make a constructive contribution to the EU’s reform and expansion discussion. with dpa
The European Green Deal aims to make not only production but also products environmentally friendly and climate-compatible. The EU Commission is relying on a digital product passport for this purpose. The digital product passport (DPP) is intended to serve as a “credential” for sustainability, enable consumers to make informed purchasing decisions, and facilitate recycling on an industrial scale.
However, just before the planned start of a pilot project in 2024, resistance is emerging. The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) fears overregulation and new bureaucratic burdens. Many companies are not yet prepared, warns the Institute of German Economy (IW) in Cologne. Even the EU Commission seems not as prepared as it intended to be.
“We are currently collecting information on existing DPP systems worldwide,” said Thomas Ebert of DG CNECT at an information event in Brussels. At the same time, efforts are being made to clear up any existing misunderstandings. There will not be just one but many digital passports for different product groups for which the Commission intends to establish specific regulations.
The basis for this is the Eco-design Directive from 2009 and a Commission proposal for its revision from March 2022. Unlike before, the planned Eco-design Regulation for sustainable products is no longer just about the energy efficiency of light bulbs, refrigerators or washing machines. Product durability, reusability, upgradeability, and repairability are now in focus.
The new passport is intended to provide information on the ecological sustainability of products. The digitized information will be easily accessible by scanning a data carrier, promises the EU Commission. The data set should include attributes such as durability and repairability, recycled content, or the availability of product parts.
In July, the European Parliament supported tightening the draft for the new Eco-design Regulation for sustainable products (ESPR). “This law will ensure that new products are developed in a way that benefits everyone, respects the boundaries of our planet, and protects the environment,” said negotiator Alessandra Moretti (Italy, S&D).
According to the European Parliament’s wishes, the EU Commission should initially focus on particularly environmentally harmful products such as metals, textiles, furniture and detergents. In addition, a ban on the destruction of unsold textiles and electrical or electronic equipment will be introduced. The details are being negotiated in the trilogue that began at the end of August – with no set end date.
The introduction is likely to be challenging because, so far, the digital product passport only exists on paper. While there are already many initiatives – according to a study by the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, there are already 76 different DPP initiatives in Europe alone – the development is still in its early stages, and many questions about implementation remain unanswered.
The DIHK, therefore, warns against having too high expectations and rushing into it. While the goal of a sustainable circular economy is generally welcome, the introduction of a digital product passport could lead to new and high bureaucratic requirements, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to a DIHK report from Oct. 12.
The IW also urges caution. While a digital product passport can create more transparency in the value chain, digitally stored product information alone will not necessarily lead to higher environmental compatibility. The success ultimately depends on the design, according to a recent study. In the current debate, however, there is a lack of concrete implementation ideas.
Another problem is that many companies do not meet the basic requirements for introducing product passports because they are not or not sufficiently digitized. Employees are also hardly prepared for the new eco-design regulations, according to the IW. Therefore, training on topics such as data management and data protection needs to be offered.
However, Thomas Ebert of the EU Commission believes that many concerns are unfounded. There will be no central database for all product passports. The EU does not intend to spy on trade secrets or make confidential product information generally accessible. Instead, it is about business-to-business communication through decentralized and open systems.
The first pilot project is set to begin in the new year. It is equipped with a budget of six million euros and aims to demonstrate how a digital product passport can look and function using two product categories.
On the second day of the AI Safety Summit in the UK, leading artificial intelligence (AI) developers have agreed with governments to have new models independently tested before they hit the market. This is aimed at better managing the risks associated with rapidly advancing technology. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also announced the establishment of an AI Safety Institute.
On Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck also participated in the AI summit. Sunak stated that the USA, the EU and other “like-minded” countries have reached an agreement with selected AI companies – OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Microsoft, Meta and xAI – that models should be rigorously tested before and after deployment. China, which had signed the Bletchley Declaration the previous day, was not part of this understanding.
“Until now the only people testing the safety of new AI models have been the very companies developing it,” Sunak said in a statement. “We shouldn’t rely on them to mark their own homework, as many of them agree.”
To enable the testing of the safety of emerging AI types, Sunak also announced the establishment of what he described as the world’s first AI Safety Institute on Thursday. The AI Safety Institute will be supported by leading AI companies and nations. The UK has already agreed to two partnerships for AI safety testing: one with the new US Institute for AI Safety and another with the government of Singapore.
Von der Leyen shared the view with Sunak that companies should take responsibility, but governments should be responsible for the safety of citizens and should establish binding fundamental rules. Within the EU’s legislative process for the AI Act, discussions are also underway about establishing a European AI Office.
Such an EU-level office had been proposed by European Parliament rapporteur Dragoș Tudorache (Renew), but it was not originally included in the Commission’s initial proposal. The Council had also shown no inclination to create a new EU agency.
A European AI Office, von der Leyen said, could contribute to the promotion of standards and testing procedures for novel AI systems (frontier AI). It could complement the private sector in investigations and testing and “enforce common rules for the most advanced models in all 27 member states.”
Next year, South Korea and then France are set to host the AI Safety Summits. vis
What does Chengdu in Sichuan have in common with Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa? According to Alexander Demissie, it’s the spicy food, the warmth of the people and the mild weather. He should know, as he has lived in both cities. Demissie was born in Addis Ababa. When he was ten years old, his family moved to Lake Constance. After completing his Abitur (German high school diploma), he moved to Cologne, where he studied Regional Studies of East Asia with a focus on China and politics. He spent a year abroad in Chengdu.
Demissie points out that today’s Ethiopia shares many similarities with China twenty years ago and is often referred to as “China of Africa”. These countries not only share economic development but also rich cultural, linguistic and historical legacies. Ethiopia, with its 3,000 years of continuous culture, language, and history, can compete with China, which takes pride in its 5,000-year-old culture and history. Because of this common ground, the Chinese regard Ethiopia with respect and admiration, and this plays a significant role in business dealings, says Demissie.
Ethiopia holds a special place for China, just like Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya. These countries have benefited greatly from dealings with the People’s Republic of China and investments through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, not all African countries manage to establish profitable relationships with China, according to Demissie.
Through his company, The China Africa Advisory, Demissie acts as a bridge between China, Africa and Europe. He produces studies on political policies in target countries for businesses and international organizations, organizes professional conferences and assists in entering new markets. He has in-depth knowledge of the relationships between China and African countries, as well as the role of Europe.
Alexander Demissie has been deeply involved with China since 2001. Originally, he had other plans when he stumbled upon a flyer in the university’s student services office. The flyer advertised the Regional Studies of East Asia program with a focus on China. He asked himself, “What do I actually know about China?” and the answer was, “almost nothing”. He considers this a shortcoming of the German education system. One graduates from high school without knowing much about China and the global South. When he sat down with the academic advisor, who spoke enthusiastically about the program, Demissie enrolled. However, what significantly influenced his future career path was a seminar on China in Africa.
In 2003, Xi Jinping’s flagship project, the Belt and Road Initiative, was far from predictable; it was only announced a decade later. Since then, China has systematically planned its investments in Africa, creating supply chains, securing raw materials for its industry, and making significant diplomatic achievements. According to Demissie, he and his classmates learned about China’s role in Africa over twenty years ago, and the development was not surprising.
Demissie blames a degree of arrogance on the part of Europeans for why Europe is only now slowly starting to work on an alternative to the BRI with the Global Gateway initiative. He believes that Europeans have had biases against Africa and haven’t questioned their perspectives enough. Arrogance can lead to being left behind, he says.
After completing his studies, Demissie initially worked at the United Nations Climate Secretariat in Bonn, organizing conferences worldwide. During this time, he recognized the importance of China and the limited knowledge about the country. He saw an opportunity to bridge this gap and founded his own company, The China Africa Advisory, in 2016.
Demissie is confident that China will not disappear from Africa; in fact, it will increase its activities. This development should neither be viewed solely positively nor negatively but rather addressed with a factual and strategic approach. The discussion should encompass topics like supply chains, opportunities for European businesses in Africa and keeping Europe attractive as an export market.
African nations are increasingly looking beyond Europe. African companies find it much easier to export to China and other countries like India and Brazil. These nations are becoming serious alternatives for African states seeking partners and markets.
Demissie recalls that interest in Africa was initially low in Germany and he initially had only Chinese clients. However, customers from Germany are gradually starting to show interest in Africa. For them, Demissie’s team creates studies on sustainability and opportunities in specific industries in Ethiopia and other African countries, giving an overview of how Chinese companies operate on-site.
In addition to supporting the search for investment opportunities, Demissie also facilitates trilateral cooperation between African, Chinese and European partners. Often, the African side desires trilateral collaborations, says Demissie, and he provides an example from the textile sector. While an Ethiopian company may receive the bulk of its investments from China, such as machinery and capital, it prefers to train its staff through German companies, in part to meet German market standards.
In trilateral collaborations involving three parties, trust often needs to be built. Through studies and training, Demissie demonstrates to the partners that collaboration can work and lead to success.
Another area of focus is diversification toward Africa. Some German companies want to leave China, and Demissie provides market entry advice and facilitates connections. He also organizes investment conferences with German and European partners, which usually take place in Africa. These conferences explore highly specialized markets that align with the objectives of the respective African states. The topics often revolve around future-oriented themes, such as a Railway Summit in Ethiopia in 2018, a conference on the logistics sector in 2019, and an event on renewable energy in 2023.
China Africa Advisory also advises African governments to make African actors aware of developments in China. Demissie works with partners in China for this purpose. For instance, when China opened up the agriculture sector for African products, Demissie provided analyses of the new guidelines and highlighted opportunities.
Demissie is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Bonn on China-Ethiopia relations. His dissertation will focus on how Ethiopian elites make decisions about their China relationships. His lectures on China in Africa are always full, he says. It is no longer a niche subject, but this unique relationship is still rarely in the spotlight. According to Alexander Demissie, it will change in the future, and he is confident of it. Julia Fiedler
There were many questions before the AI Safety Summit in the UK: What do the British aim to achieve with their own AI summit, given that the UN, G7, OECD, Council of Europe, and the EU are already working on international rules? What could the British accomplish that has not already been initiated? And why did Prime Minister Rishi Sunak invite China to Bletchley Park? After all, China’s regulations for artificial intelligence and how the country uses AI against its population are precisely what Europeans, Americans and other “like-minded states” seek to protect their people from.
However, unlike US President Joe Biden and the G7, who have extracted a voluntary commitment from AI developers, the developers of particularly advanced AI models at Bletchley Park have agreed to have their models independently tested before they hit the market. The British have also established a corresponding institute.
Props to Mr. Sunak. Ursula von der Leyen could only say that the EU is still discussing the establishment of such an institute. Perhaps the British breach will give EU legislators the necessary push to swiftly agree on the AI law. Otherwise, the lead might soon be squandered.
Sometimes, it does help when leaders meet in person. This is evident in the European conference held by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Berlin, which Manuel Berkel has reported on.
It’s not just a “geopolitical necessity” but also a “geopolitical opportunity” for the EU. Annalena Baerbock tried to inject new momentum and direction into the potential EU expansion during her speech at a European conference at the Foreign Office on Thursday. The working conference, attended by numerous foreign and European ministers, was meant to prepare for the European Council in December, where EU expansion will also be on the agenda.
Russian President Vladimir Putin “will continue to try to plow an imperial trench through Europe, which is intended to separate not only Ukraine from us but also Moldova, Georgia and the Western Balkans.” If these countries are permanently destabilized by Russia, “it makes us all vulnerable.” However, if the EU offers the candidate countries an economic opportunity, it also strengthens the union.
On Nov. 8, the European Commission will present reports on the progress of reforms by EU accession candidates Ukraine and Moldova. Based on these reports, the EU heads of state and government will decide in December whether to start accession negotiations with both countries and whether Georgia should be granted candidate status. Additionally, the European Commission will present assessments of the progress of the Western Balkans and Turkey on their path to EU membership.
The EU is also conducting accession negotiations with Balkan countries such as Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia. In addition to Ukraine and Moldova, Kosovo, Georgia and Turkey are also candidate countries.
According to Baerbock’s vision, candidate countries should be able to enjoy some of the benefits of membership even before formal accession. “Students from North Macedonia who can study in the EU through the Erasmus program make the EU’s appeal tangible,” said the foreign minister. She suggested that the existing opportunities for students could be expanded, such as European mobile roaming or simplified visa procedures.
Government officials from candidate countries should also have the opportunity to participate as observers in meetings of the EU Council of Ministers, provided that individual accession chapters have already been completed. Baerbock also emphasized that “step-by-step integration cannot be selective.” Principles of the rule of law are essential.
Baerbock’s initiative was positively received by the foreign minister of North Macedonia. “We want access to the single market when the rule of law criteria are met,” said Bujar Osmani. His country also needs access to structural and cohesion funds even before full membership. Otherwise, the economic disparities between member and candidate countries will continue to widen.
With regard to Ukraine and its Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Baerbock stressed, “We want Ukraine as a member of our European Union. I am convinced that the European Council in December will also send this signal.”
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister warned of potential frustrations in the accession process, similar to those seen in the Western Balkans. He emphasized, “As an EU member, Ukraine will mean more security for Europe, not less. We will not be a burden to them.”
Turkey has been in long accession negotiations for years. However, due to rule of law deficits, these negotiations have been on hold for years. Addressing the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Baerbock said, “Substantial reforms are also the key issue here.”
Fidan noted that more than 50 years have passed since his country applied for membership. Turkey’s perspective has not changed. He expressed a willingness to make a constructive contribution to the EU’s reform and expansion discussion. with dpa
The European Green Deal aims to make not only production but also products environmentally friendly and climate-compatible. The EU Commission is relying on a digital product passport for this purpose. The digital product passport (DPP) is intended to serve as a “credential” for sustainability, enable consumers to make informed purchasing decisions, and facilitate recycling on an industrial scale.
However, just before the planned start of a pilot project in 2024, resistance is emerging. The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) fears overregulation and new bureaucratic burdens. Many companies are not yet prepared, warns the Institute of German Economy (IW) in Cologne. Even the EU Commission seems not as prepared as it intended to be.
“We are currently collecting information on existing DPP systems worldwide,” said Thomas Ebert of DG CNECT at an information event in Brussels. At the same time, efforts are being made to clear up any existing misunderstandings. There will not be just one but many digital passports for different product groups for which the Commission intends to establish specific regulations.
The basis for this is the Eco-design Directive from 2009 and a Commission proposal for its revision from March 2022. Unlike before, the planned Eco-design Regulation for sustainable products is no longer just about the energy efficiency of light bulbs, refrigerators or washing machines. Product durability, reusability, upgradeability, and repairability are now in focus.
The new passport is intended to provide information on the ecological sustainability of products. The digitized information will be easily accessible by scanning a data carrier, promises the EU Commission. The data set should include attributes such as durability and repairability, recycled content, or the availability of product parts.
In July, the European Parliament supported tightening the draft for the new Eco-design Regulation for sustainable products (ESPR). “This law will ensure that new products are developed in a way that benefits everyone, respects the boundaries of our planet, and protects the environment,” said negotiator Alessandra Moretti (Italy, S&D).
According to the European Parliament’s wishes, the EU Commission should initially focus on particularly environmentally harmful products such as metals, textiles, furniture and detergents. In addition, a ban on the destruction of unsold textiles and electrical or electronic equipment will be introduced. The details are being negotiated in the trilogue that began at the end of August – with no set end date.
The introduction is likely to be challenging because, so far, the digital product passport only exists on paper. While there are already many initiatives – according to a study by the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, there are already 76 different DPP initiatives in Europe alone – the development is still in its early stages, and many questions about implementation remain unanswered.
The DIHK, therefore, warns against having too high expectations and rushing into it. While the goal of a sustainable circular economy is generally welcome, the introduction of a digital product passport could lead to new and high bureaucratic requirements, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to a DIHK report from Oct. 12.
The IW also urges caution. While a digital product passport can create more transparency in the value chain, digitally stored product information alone will not necessarily lead to higher environmental compatibility. The success ultimately depends on the design, according to a recent study. In the current debate, however, there is a lack of concrete implementation ideas.
Another problem is that many companies do not meet the basic requirements for introducing product passports because they are not or not sufficiently digitized. Employees are also hardly prepared for the new eco-design regulations, according to the IW. Therefore, training on topics such as data management and data protection needs to be offered.
However, Thomas Ebert of the EU Commission believes that many concerns are unfounded. There will be no central database for all product passports. The EU does not intend to spy on trade secrets or make confidential product information generally accessible. Instead, it is about business-to-business communication through decentralized and open systems.
The first pilot project is set to begin in the new year. It is equipped with a budget of six million euros and aims to demonstrate how a digital product passport can look and function using two product categories.
On the second day of the AI Safety Summit in the UK, leading artificial intelligence (AI) developers have agreed with governments to have new models independently tested before they hit the market. This is aimed at better managing the risks associated with rapidly advancing technology. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also announced the establishment of an AI Safety Institute.
On Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck also participated in the AI summit. Sunak stated that the USA, the EU and other “like-minded” countries have reached an agreement with selected AI companies – OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Microsoft, Meta and xAI – that models should be rigorously tested before and after deployment. China, which had signed the Bletchley Declaration the previous day, was not part of this understanding.
“Until now the only people testing the safety of new AI models have been the very companies developing it,” Sunak said in a statement. “We shouldn’t rely on them to mark their own homework, as many of them agree.”
To enable the testing of the safety of emerging AI types, Sunak also announced the establishment of what he described as the world’s first AI Safety Institute on Thursday. The AI Safety Institute will be supported by leading AI companies and nations. The UK has already agreed to two partnerships for AI safety testing: one with the new US Institute for AI Safety and another with the government of Singapore.
Von der Leyen shared the view with Sunak that companies should take responsibility, but governments should be responsible for the safety of citizens and should establish binding fundamental rules. Within the EU’s legislative process for the AI Act, discussions are also underway about establishing a European AI Office.
Such an EU-level office had been proposed by European Parliament rapporteur Dragoș Tudorache (Renew), but it was not originally included in the Commission’s initial proposal. The Council had also shown no inclination to create a new EU agency.
A European AI Office, von der Leyen said, could contribute to the promotion of standards and testing procedures for novel AI systems (frontier AI). It could complement the private sector in investigations and testing and “enforce common rules for the most advanced models in all 27 member states.”
Next year, South Korea and then France are set to host the AI Safety Summits. vis
What does Chengdu in Sichuan have in common with Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa? According to Alexander Demissie, it’s the spicy food, the warmth of the people and the mild weather. He should know, as he has lived in both cities. Demissie was born in Addis Ababa. When he was ten years old, his family moved to Lake Constance. After completing his Abitur (German high school diploma), he moved to Cologne, where he studied Regional Studies of East Asia with a focus on China and politics. He spent a year abroad in Chengdu.
Demissie points out that today’s Ethiopia shares many similarities with China twenty years ago and is often referred to as “China of Africa”. These countries not only share economic development but also rich cultural, linguistic and historical legacies. Ethiopia, with its 3,000 years of continuous culture, language, and history, can compete with China, which takes pride in its 5,000-year-old culture and history. Because of this common ground, the Chinese regard Ethiopia with respect and admiration, and this plays a significant role in business dealings, says Demissie.
Ethiopia holds a special place for China, just like Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya. These countries have benefited greatly from dealings with the People’s Republic of China and investments through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, not all African countries manage to establish profitable relationships with China, according to Demissie.
Through his company, The China Africa Advisory, Demissie acts as a bridge between China, Africa and Europe. He produces studies on political policies in target countries for businesses and international organizations, organizes professional conferences and assists in entering new markets. He has in-depth knowledge of the relationships between China and African countries, as well as the role of Europe.
Alexander Demissie has been deeply involved with China since 2001. Originally, he had other plans when he stumbled upon a flyer in the university’s student services office. The flyer advertised the Regional Studies of East Asia program with a focus on China. He asked himself, “What do I actually know about China?” and the answer was, “almost nothing”. He considers this a shortcoming of the German education system. One graduates from high school without knowing much about China and the global South. When he sat down with the academic advisor, who spoke enthusiastically about the program, Demissie enrolled. However, what significantly influenced his future career path was a seminar on China in Africa.
In 2003, Xi Jinping’s flagship project, the Belt and Road Initiative, was far from predictable; it was only announced a decade later. Since then, China has systematically planned its investments in Africa, creating supply chains, securing raw materials for its industry, and making significant diplomatic achievements. According to Demissie, he and his classmates learned about China’s role in Africa over twenty years ago, and the development was not surprising.
Demissie blames a degree of arrogance on the part of Europeans for why Europe is only now slowly starting to work on an alternative to the BRI with the Global Gateway initiative. He believes that Europeans have had biases against Africa and haven’t questioned their perspectives enough. Arrogance can lead to being left behind, he says.
After completing his studies, Demissie initially worked at the United Nations Climate Secretariat in Bonn, organizing conferences worldwide. During this time, he recognized the importance of China and the limited knowledge about the country. He saw an opportunity to bridge this gap and founded his own company, The China Africa Advisory, in 2016.
Demissie is confident that China will not disappear from Africa; in fact, it will increase its activities. This development should neither be viewed solely positively nor negatively but rather addressed with a factual and strategic approach. The discussion should encompass topics like supply chains, opportunities for European businesses in Africa and keeping Europe attractive as an export market.
African nations are increasingly looking beyond Europe. African companies find it much easier to export to China and other countries like India and Brazil. These nations are becoming serious alternatives for African states seeking partners and markets.
Demissie recalls that interest in Africa was initially low in Germany and he initially had only Chinese clients. However, customers from Germany are gradually starting to show interest in Africa. For them, Demissie’s team creates studies on sustainability and opportunities in specific industries in Ethiopia and other African countries, giving an overview of how Chinese companies operate on-site.
In addition to supporting the search for investment opportunities, Demissie also facilitates trilateral cooperation between African, Chinese and European partners. Often, the African side desires trilateral collaborations, says Demissie, and he provides an example from the textile sector. While an Ethiopian company may receive the bulk of its investments from China, such as machinery and capital, it prefers to train its staff through German companies, in part to meet German market standards.
In trilateral collaborations involving three parties, trust often needs to be built. Through studies and training, Demissie demonstrates to the partners that collaboration can work and lead to success.
Another area of focus is diversification toward Africa. Some German companies want to leave China, and Demissie provides market entry advice and facilitates connections. He also organizes investment conferences with German and European partners, which usually take place in Africa. These conferences explore highly specialized markets that align with the objectives of the respective African states. The topics often revolve around future-oriented themes, such as a Railway Summit in Ethiopia in 2018, a conference on the logistics sector in 2019, and an event on renewable energy in 2023.
China Africa Advisory also advises African governments to make African actors aware of developments in China. Demissie works with partners in China for this purpose. For instance, when China opened up the agriculture sector for African products, Demissie provided analyses of the new guidelines and highlighted opportunities.
Demissie is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Bonn on China-Ethiopia relations. His dissertation will focus on how Ethiopian elites make decisions about their China relationships. His lectures on China in Africa are always full, he says. It is no longer a niche subject, but this unique relationship is still rarely in the spotlight. According to Alexander Demissie, it will change in the future, and he is confident of it. Julia Fiedler
