EU chief’s ‘jungle’ comments say more about Europe than the rest of the world

Last week, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, speaking at the inauguration of the new European Diplomatic Academy in Bruges, Belgium, referred to Europe as a garden and the rest of the world as a jungle. He went on to say that the garden needs protection from the jungle. 

While such abhorrent statements, thanks to the revival of “us vs them” narratives and polarization are not out of the norm in popular media in 2022, those words from the chief of foreign policy for the EU are a whole different phenomenon. His words cannot be taken at face value, nor merely be viewed in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There is more to such fracturing of the world into safe regions and dangerous regions. Moreover, the words raise several questions about Europe’s perception of the world — in particular, the Global South.  

The idea that Europe is a garden and the rest of the world is a jungle is rooted in the racial angst expressed by far-right wing writers and talk show hosts such as Tucker Carlson in the Anglo-Saxon world. In American political discourse, this type of othering and rants on racial “replacement theories” and the so-called invasion of immigrants, found a resurgence with former President Donald Trump’s ascent to the oval office. Conservatives such as Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) made statements such as “we can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies,” and the nation witnessed four years of hyperbole, polarization and rhetoric targeted toward ethnic minorities and immigrants. 

With the EU chief’s comments, evidence is mounting that fringe views may have establishment sources. In his blog, Borrell went on to excuse his comments under the guise of an apology, saying they were not intended to be racist and were “taken out of context.” Interestingly, he did not address the “invasion” part of his metaphor. What did he mean by the jungle invading the garden?  

Ironically, it is the so-called garden that has invaded the jungle more than the jungle invading the garden. Borrell goes on to claim that he does not share the political thought of American neoconservatives. Europe’s sudden tilt to the Indo-Pacific does not add credibility to that claim. Even to the non-expert observer of world affairs, the French, German and even British Navy in the Indian or the Pacific Ocean raises a simple question — what are Europeans doing thousands of miles away? Wouldn’t the Chinese or Russian Navy in the Atlantic raise a similar question?    

Unfortunately, maintaining the international rules-based order seems to connote acting as the policeman of the world. American leaders have realized that their electorate has no appetite for neverending wars and democracy promotion projects such as those of the past two decades in the Middle East. Will Europe follow suit? Extending the crude metaphor, will it continue to tame the jungle and civilize its animals as it attempted to do in the past?  

These comments and views toward the Global South validate and strengthen the arguments of leaders like Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin, speaking at the plenary session of the 7th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Russia, said “the West clings to the old world order.” 

“Western countries are trying to maintain yesterday’s world order, which is only beneficial to them, to force everyone to live according to the notorious rules which they have invented. These Western countries also regularly violate or change those rules, at their own convenience, and are currently making short-sighted political and economic decisions,” continued Putin. 

When observers wonder why countries in the Global South have refrained from openly taking sides in the war in Ukraine, it is unfortunately because leaders of those countries share some of the same concerns and views articulated by Putin.  

Whether it is nuclear tests in Pacific Islands, invasions and democracy promotion projects in the Middle East or regime change tactics deployed in South America and Sub-Saharan Africa, the West has a tainted legacy in world affairs.  

If the West were to truly course correct and recalibrate its approach to the Global South, it needs to start at home. It is not just metaphors such as the one used by Borrell, but also perverse ideas such as European rules-based order taming global jungles going into the formulation of foreign policy that should be reconsidered.  

If not, as we’ve witnessed in the past few weeks with the bitter exchanges between Saudi Arabia and the U.S., more countries of the Global South would rethink their relationship with the Western world. The UAE foreign ministry called on the EU’s head of mission in the country to explain Borrell’s remarks. Furthermore, on Sunday it was reported that Saudi Arabia had applied to become part of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) grouping. 

Unlike 20 years ago, countries have more options for economic prosperity and technological advancement than just reliance on the Western world.  

Akhil Ramesh is a fellow with the Pacific Forum. He has worked with governments, risk consulting firms and think tanks in the United States and India. Follow him on Twitter: Akhil_oldsoul.