Uwe Wissenbach

Coordinator for Africa-China Relations, European Commission

Many European Union diplomats believe their continent’s influence is being sidelined as China boosts its investments and profile in Africa. One man in the European Commission is working to channel those feelings toward constructive engagement. As the EC’s Coordinator for Africa-China Relations, Uwe Wissenbach shapes policy as the EU adjusts to Asia’s growing influence in Africa.

Wissenbach studied at the Mainz and Lille Univesities, the London School of Economics and Beijing Foreign Studies University. He spent five years in the EC delegation to Beijing (1999-2004). He then managed a project in Panam, Tibet, which attempted to show Beijing the value of local participation in development as an alternative to typical large-scale works led from the distant capital. Returning to Brussels, Wissenbach joined its Social Development Unit before moving to his present role in the Directorate-General for Development.

In ‘The EU, Africa and China: Towards Trilateral Dialogue and Cooperation’, published by the EC in October 2008, Wissenbach argues for a multilateralist approach to Africa, emphasising the common interest in a peaceful and stable Africa, and credits China for its engagement through high-level visits, such as that of President Hu Jintao in 2007. ‘Our interest is to have the African partnership with the EU [and] the EU’s partnership with China strengthened and not weakened by discussions about what China does in Africa,’ he said at the Brussels Development Briefing in July.