Africa Trends

The work for the Department of Peace Operations is thus amply clear. It must privilege the substantive side in its thinking as it approaches mandate making. This would ease the work of peacekeepers and contain the thrust in recent years towards a militarisation of peacekeeping under the cover of robust peacekeeping.

• Ali Ahmed |
• January-June 2019 |
• Africa Trends

An increased level of engagement of the G20 with Africa could be significant as it could activate the existing G20 initiatives. It is also significant because it proposes to venture into new and critical areas such as skill development of women and rural youth, as well as a focus on renewable energy which are fundamental to capitalise on increased private investment.

• Arpita Anant |
• July-December 2018 |
• Africa Trends

The media, visual and means of mass communication have often been criticised for presenting a biased and skewed viewpoint on the conflict. However, the power of documentaries like the Ghosts of Rwanda which present before the audiences the unpalatable realities of the world, compels the international community to ponder, discuss and accept the need for change in its institutions and their ways of working. The release of the documentary became a moment of unfolding of the pristine rubric of United Nations, especially of its peacekeeping mandates, which were discriminatory and caught in power struggles.

• Priyal Pandey |
• July-December 2018 |
• Africa Trends

Several international players are competing to finance projects in African countries, and New Delhi will be at a disadvantage if it does not proactively engage in strengthening development partnerships. As an emerging power that is actively pushing South-South Cooperation (SSC), India has to convince its partners the advantage of Indian development assistance, which adheres to principles of horizontal cooperation and mutual benefit.

• Chithra Purushothaman |
• July-December 2018 |
• Africa Trends

In many ways Turkey is reviving its historic relations with Africa with an eye to strengthen economic ties and gain strategic depth, but for some this is a reminder of the bitter past and represents neo-Ottomanism.

• Md. Muddassir Quamar |
• July-December 2018 |
• Africa Trends

The Nigerian Navy is slowly clawing its way back to being a viable force capable of performing critical missions in respect of EEZ surveillance and patrol. It possesses an adequate fleet of inshore and riverine patrol craft and its growing refit and overhaul capabilities should prove adequate to the task of maintaining these vessels and augmenting them with new construction. However, the Nigerian Navy continues to face capability gaps in respect of the number of major surface combatants as well as the weapons systems available to the fleet.

• Sanjay Badri-Maharaj |
• July-December 2018 |
• Africa Trends

Africa has an extensive and strategically located maritime space. This domain is vital for various reasons, including its abundance of economic resources and as a conduit for trade. Unfortunately, the potential of the African maritime space is being undermined by persistent, multifaceted and fluid domestic, regional and international threats and vulnerabilities. To tackle this, littoral African states have entered into various collaborative engagements at international and inter-agency level. The success of these arrangements is in turn greatly hampered by various practical challenges, including mistrust, diversity, ‘silo approach’ and lack of identified common Afro-centric security priorities and protocols. An urgent need for a functional collaborative engagement emerges as vital for a sustainable blue economy in Africa.

• Njoki Mboce |
• July-December 2018 |
• Africa Trends

Aid to, and investment in, strategically located countries in the IOR to establish a strong presence has been the thrust of the Chinese strategy. The steadily growing economic cooperation with Comoros is part of this strategy. For a China with global aspirations and a large economy to bankroll that aspiration, the engagement with Comoros promises to yield significant benefits in return for relatively little.

• Maitreyee Shilpa Kishor |
• July-December 2018 |
• Africa Trends

While the political process is delicately poised and is making slow progress, there remain gigantic challenges to surmount. The main issues of contention among the different groups are sharing of political power, fight for control over Libya’s huge petroleum resources, and accommodating the armed groups loyal to different factions into a unified national military force.

• Prasanta Kumar Pradhan |
• July-December 2018 |
• Africa Trends

More concentration on the soft diplomatic efforts with greater emphasis on people to people connects and carrying out capacity building where people matter should be the focus of the government. Soft diplomacy through regular and assertive visits by top functionaries of the nation namely the President, Vice President, Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister is the best strategy to enhance relations with African countries.

• Swaim Prakash Singh |
• January-June 2018 |
• Africa Trends

The distinct feature of radicalisation in Mozambique is that local issues enable the Ansar ul Sunna to conduct its nefarious activities. So rather than take a hard approach, it would serve the Government well to address the growing local concerns of unemployment, social exclusion and underdevelopment in order to curb the influence of Islamic extremism in Mozambique.

• Mathew Sinu Simon |
• January-June 2018 |
• Africa Trends

After the UNMIL exit, sustaining the peace that was achieved with the help of UN peacekeepers is the most significant challenge before the government. It needs a comprehensive vision, more resources, and stronger political will. It also requires international, regional and sub-regional support.

• Rajeesh Kumar |
• January-June 2018 |
• Africa Trends

An audit of required military capabilities and therefore, military expenditure in Africa, is essential. Efforts need to focus on scaling down of conventional military capabilities. An appropriate step taken in this direction at this juncture will assist Africa in achieving its visionary goal of Agenda 2063.

• Kishore Kumar Khera |
• January-June 2018 |
• Africa Trends

Egypt understood that to be relevant globally and to re-emerge as a regional leader, it has to re- build its relations with the GCC countries that supported it during the Arab Spring. Egypt achieved more than one goal by supporting Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain in isolating Qatar.

• Lakshmi Priya |
• January-June 2017 |
• Africa Trends

While combat aircraft acquisition for self-defence capability is a long drawn and expensive process, Botswana has moved systematically to enhance its low-cost variation - by improving ground-based air defence system.

• Kishore Kumar Khera |
• January-June 2017 |
• Africa Trends

The Asia Africa Growth Corridor provides a transparent and inclusive alternate to the countries of Africa. It builds on the Japanese ethos of working with quality and India’s long and historic people- centric partnership with African countries.

• Ruchita Beri |
• January-June 2017 |
• Africa Trends

The SAN in the post-Apartheid era has been completely transformed from a “brown-water” force of missile craft and short-range submarines to one with considerable “blue-water” capability. However, serious allegations of corruption have marred its procurement processes.

• Sanjay Badri-Maharaj |
• January-June 2017 |
• Africa Trends

The African notifications of intention to quit ICC have yet again highlighted the need for systemic changes in the current world order. Only a non-discriminatory, democratic and inclusive UNSC reflecting the contemporary world could address these challenges and questions.

• Saurabh Mishra |
• October-December 2016 |
• Africa Trends

One of the primary reason for recurrence of violence is the failure of peace agreements to address the real issues of conflict. The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) and Addis Ababa Agreement of August 2015 have many fault lines which potentially contribute to protracted conflict.

• Rajeesh Kumar |
• October-December 2016 |
• Africa Trends

The existence of vast natural resources, both living and non- living, in the marine ecosystem, has led to a concern about sustainability of harnessing these resources. The increasing emphasis on the blue economy by policy makers in the African countries and India, presents an opportunity for cooperation in this crucial area.

• Ruchita Beri |
• October-December 2016 |
• Africa Trends