Africa Trends

FOCAC 2012 went well beyond numbers and initiated the process of addressing serious concerns of a mature relationship by moving away from the narrow constraints of economic transactions.

• Sneha Bhura |
• November 2016 |
• Africa Trends

The Obama Administration has focused its Africa policy mainly on democracy, economic growth, food security, democracy, conflict prevention and mitigation, as well as dealing with transnational threats. These broad strategic objectives of the Administration also indicate the vastness and diversity of the African continent and its varying requirements. The United States has provided a substantial amount of aid to Africa in health programmes.

• Sanjeev Kumar Shrivastav |
• October 2016 |
• Africa Trends

A recent amendment in the Namibian labour law has caused friction amongst various stakeholders.

• Ahana Banerjee |
• October 2016 |
• Africa Trends

While northern Mali remains under the control of armed groups, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) prepares an intervention force to assist Malian forces in a battle to restore Mali’s sovereignty.

• Princy Marin George |
• August 2016 |
• Africa Trends

Sectarian clashes, attacks against suspected Gaddafi loyalists and violence targeting the central government have marred Libya’s transition to democracy.

• Babjee Pothuraju |
• August 2016 |
• Africa Trends

Events of July 2016 have shattered the progress towards peace in South Sudan. The international community needs to put in more efforts to ensure that leaders of warring factions fulfill their commitments for a peaceful future for the people of South Sudan.

• Adarsha Verma |
• July-September 2016 |
• Africa Trends

Given the lack of feasibility of other policy initiatives in order to deal with Libya, from where majority of migrants cross-over, militarisation remains the only option. Even the military solution is going to achieve partial results and human trafficking will continue to thrive. In all the chaos, migrants will be caught between a rock and a hard place, with Libya being unpropitious to stay and journey to Europe being increasingly perilous.

• Nachiket Khadkiwala |
• July-September 2016 |
• Africa Trends

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Africa will go a long way in cementing ties with the African countries in the field of food security, energy and defence. At the same time, this visit will put to rest criticism of India’s visibility deficit in the region.

• Ruchita Beri |
• July-September 2016 |
• Africa Trends

The TCC have to shed their colonial legacies and participate in UN peacekeeping on equal terms rather than merely being service providers. It is necessary that the UNSC decisions are more inclusive and reflective of the new world order.

• Vikrant Deshpande |
• April-June 2016 |
• Africa Trends

Libya today is a highly fragmented state with porous borders and unidentified alliance formations. In this scenario, a resolution to partially lift the arms embargo may have widespread undesirable consequences.

• Untitled |
• April-June 2016 |
• Africa Trends

At relatively little cost to either party, a mutually beneficial partnership has evolved over the decades, with the NCG and India being inextricably intertwined. It is to the credit of both countries that this relationship has lasted and thrived and continues to grow stronger without undue fanfare or hype and without, thus far, any tangible problems.

• Sanjay Badri-Maharaj |
• April-June 2016 |
• Africa Trends

The larger ‘China-Africa Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Security’ that was simultaneously launched was meant to integrate security issues into FOCAC, but was in need of further refinement to move from rhetorical commitment to more institutionalised involvement.

• Susanne Kamerling |
• January-March 2016 |
• Africa Trends

At a time when the country is going through a political transition and the resultant realignment of patronage networks in Niger Delta region, economic woes due to low oil prices, and the revamping of oil industry, the emergence of NDA is a result of the ‘politics of oil’ in Nigeria that has been ongoing for years.

• Nachiket Khadkiwala |
• January-March 2016 |
• Africa Trends

The link between narcotics’ traffickers in Latin America and their allies in West Africa has opened another front in the “war on drugs” and has unfortunately led to West Africa becoming home to what has been described as the “world’s first narco state” namely, Guinea-Bissau. The availability of aircraft, pilots and an expanse of airspace without radar coverage, aided and abetted by poorly or corruptly policed borders has led to a thriving trade between the two continents for the enrichment of some and the detriment of many others.

• Sanjay Badri-Maharaj |
• January-March 2016 |
• Africa Trends

The FOCAC process began in 2000 under the Presidency of Jiang Zemin when the first ministerial meeting was held in Beijing and has come a long way since then as a show of evolving Chinese interests in the African continent. Africa in many ways has been a learning ground for China's international role. What China has been doing in the continent must be watched closely as it showcases the future of Chinese power.

• Avinash Godbole |
• October-December 2015 |
• Africa Trends

Out of 2,900 billion tonnes, the world now has only 1000 giga tonnes of carbon dioxide to be dispersed into the atmosphere by 2100 in order to maintain the 2 degree Celsius commitment. If Africa takes the path of business as usual, it will emit around 50 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide i.e. 5.5% of the remaining carbon budget. It is under these circumstances that Africa hopes to achieve the goals of the first Ten Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063.

• Satyam Malaviya |
• October-December 2015 |
• Africa Trends

India hosted the third India Africa Forum Summit from October 26-30, 2015. The summit concluded with an agreement to set up a monitoring mechanism that will evaluate the implementation of the projects planned during the summit. It is hoped that India will work towards delivering all the promises made in New Delhi.

• Ruchita Beri |
• October-December 2015 |
• Africa Trends

In the twenty first century, China ventured into Africa for new markets for goods and services, natural resources especially oil, timber, metals and minerals and for political and economic influence. There is a broad consensus amongst scholars and policy makers that China's foreign policy and diplomacy in Africa is being driven by commercial interests and domestic economic imperatives.

• Rajneesh Verma |
• October-December 2015 |
• Africa Trends

On April 2, 2013, the UNGA approved the draft text of the ATT- 154 countries voted for the treaty, three voted against and 23 abstained. It remains to be seen whether the treaty succeeds in fulfilling the goal of curbing violence in Africa.

• Rajiv Nayan |
• November-December 2015 |
• Africa Trends

In what some see as a startling change of stance, Egypt has said that it is now willing to reconsider its staunch opposition to the Renaissance Dam that its neighbour, Ethiopia, is in the process of building; and that it will also mull over participating in the construction of the same.

• Sneha Bhura |
• November-December 2015 |
• Africa Trends