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Global Coalition to counter expanding ISIS terror in Africa

The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2020, which provides a comprehensive summary of key global trends and patterns in terrorism, has highlighted how Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) groups have become especially prominent in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to a surge in terrorism in many countries in the region, reports Ateet Sharma

The Foreign Ministers of the 83-member Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS will meet next Monday to discuss efforts in the campaign to achieve the enduring defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and counter its expanding networks, especially in Africa.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will join Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio in co-hosting the meeting which will also assess priorities for the Coalition’s lines of effort related to stabilization, foreign terrorist fighters, counter-ISIS financing, and counter-messaging efforts.

The ministers will discuss ways to sustain pressure on ISIS remnants in Iraq and Syria, and to counter ISIS networks elsewhere, including Africa which has emerged as a matter of concern and also highlighted by India several times in the recent past.

The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2020, which provides a comprehensive summary of key global trends and patterns in terrorism, has highlighted how Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) groups have become especially prominent in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to a surge in terrorism in many countries in the region. Seven of the 10 countries with the largest increase in terrorism were in sub-Saharan Africa: Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali, Niger, Cameron and Ethiopia.

India Narrative has highlighted how the Islamic State’s profile may now be covering an arc starting from northeast Nigeria, weaving through strongholds in Chad, all the way to Libya in the north, covering thousands of miles. IS affiliates are also making their presence felt in East Africa, especially in the resource rich areas of northern Mozambique.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) announced the launch of the Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) in April 2019 to promote the presence of ISIS associated elements within Central, East, and Southern Africa. According to the US State Department, although ISIS-associated media portray ISCAP as a unified structure, ISIS-DRC and ISIS-Mozambique are distinct groups with distinct origins.

In March, the United States designated the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria � Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria � Mozambique (ISIS-Mozambique) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. It also designated ISIS-DRC and ISIS-Mozambique as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), while also designating respective leaders of those organizations, Seka Musa Baluku and Abu Yasir Hassan, as SDGTs.

The security situation in the region directly affects India as there are several companies, including ONGC Videsh Rovuma Limited, which have high stakes in billion dollar liquefied natural gas projects, especially in Mozambique.

With the Islamist groups targeting Indian interests in Africa, India and Kenya had last week flagged their deep concern about the growing radicalisation and the surge in international terrorism in the region during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Kenya.

Noting that “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations are a common threat to humanity,” Jaishankar had said that both, as a solidarity and as a strategy, India stands with Africa.

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While continuing the fight against Daesh/ISIS in Iraq and Syria, all major forces – including the Global Coalition, of which the United States is a leading member, and NATO – realise the urgent need to step up their efforts.

In March, after a Small Group of the Coalition met virtually, the members had noted with concern the serious and growing threat Daesh/ISIS affiliates pose across West Africa and the Sahel, as well as the emerging threat in other parts of the continent, particularly in East Africa.

ISIS Terror

“The Coalition reaffirmed its willingness to further explore how it can contribute to collective efforts to cope with the threat posed by Daesh/ISIS in these regions, and that such efforts be upon the request and prior consent of countries concerned, and be in close coordination with African partners and existing initiatives such as the International Coalition for the Sahel, and in full respect of international law,” Blinken had said in a joint communique after the meeting.

NATO too is aware of the threat of terrorism, saying it remains committed to look what more it can do in, not just in Iraq and Syria but the wider Middle East region.

“NATO remains committed to the lasting defeat of ISIS. For several years now, we have been supporting the Global Coalition directly with AWACS surveillance flights and with NATO’s mission in Iraq,” says NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

It is going to be a long and hard battle as the coalition members and NATO deal with the growing threat of ISIS outside of Iraq and Syria, particularly in Africa.

Also, as analysts believe, withdrawing US and NATO troops from Afghanistan will definitely not ensure ISIS’s enduring defeat globally.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

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Beijing employing aggressive propaganda efforts in Africa

Chinese media is gaining a deeper presence on the continent, at a time when Western media have largely retreated from the African landscape…reports Asian Lite News

Despite Chinese President Xi Jinping’s tall claims of promoting ‘soft power’ in Africa, Beijing is deploying strategic activities, employing aggressive propaganda efforts with sharp objectives in order to establish a positive image and consolidate a hegemonic control.

Jianli Yang for National Review writes that amid the criticism that China is pursuing an exploitative strategy in Africa, with its increasing soft-power projections including COVID-19 vaccines, propaganda efforts have intensified to portray China as a positive, benign development partner.

The increasing investments in media, the growing number of Confucius Institutes, the organization of grand cultural festivals, and the generous giving of scholarships have all been embraced to establish China’s strong foothold on the continent.

Meanwhile, resentment amongst the African populace toward the Chinese diaspora on the continent has emerged, fueled by incidents such as the recent ill-treatment of Africans in Guangzhou. In the absence of strong linguistic and cultural affinities between the two, interactions between Chinese and Africans remain quite restricted.

Despite this, Chinese media is gaining a deeper presence on the continent, at a time when Western media have largely retreated from the African landscape, according to National Review.

Beijing has also been actively pursuing its dream of gaining control over local sports markets and securing access to major sports events in Africa. The initiative is aimed at both control and economic gains. The Chinese scheme involves advancing and flooding its own low-grade domestic products into local African markets to demonstrate its ability to match international brands.

At the same time, to nurture demand, Chinese authorities have been constructing sports facilities in many poor African countries that were severely lacking sports infrastructure, including stadiums and the requisite training facilities for sports.

Yang writes: “It is time that African nations, and those in other parts of the world, realize the Chinese method of debt-trap diplomacy, which, beyond hitting them economically, is capable of enslaving them in a neocolonial setup, this time with China at the helm.”

The author also said that Beijing claims to deploy ‘soft power’ in Africa, but in reality is deploying ‘sharp power’, which refers to the use of manipulative, subversive methods by authoritarian regimes to gain influence in other countries.

The media work is also done almost entirely under the heavy hand of state “guidelines”. As China’s economic heft and clout allow it to provide free technical assistance and buy media houses or finance them, the autonomy of African media is put into serious question.

Meanwhile, dozens of China-backed and funded projects in Africa, most of them developed as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), continue to face intense backlash from communities and environmentalists who accuse the developers of destroying ecosystems in pursuit of commodities like oil, metal and timber.

Chinese investment in Africa has also come under the scanner as many have accused it of entrapping countries in its ‘debt-trap’ diplomacy.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) persistently warns African and other third-world countries that mounting debts to China are dangerous. It stresses that Chinese creditors create some instability or vulnerabilities. (ANI)

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India expands its Africa outreach

India has always stood with Africa even if it formally announced its Africa policy only during the visit of PM Modi to Uganda in 2018, writes Amb Anil Trigunayat

The African Union and several regional organisations have attempted to discourage military coup d’etat that was quite frequent a couple of decades ago.

But Mali and several others have proved them otherwise. Likewise, smooth transition of democratic power, even if not unique to Africa after former US President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept the election results, has not always been easy.

Again, besides their politico-economic agony Africans have also been afflicted by the Corona pandemic. This has been worsened due to lack of health infrastructure, capacity, expertise and non-availability of vaccines despite COVAX and other commitments.

No wonder South African President Ramaphosa recently lamented the vaccine inequity calling it “Vaccine Apartheid” in Paris. The G7 countries have committed a billion doses but time is of essence.

South Africa and India were the first to urge the WTO and the developed world to temporarily waive the IPRs for their vaccines so that the disadvantaged people could have access to it. As such India’s ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative was exemplary irrespective of domestic criticism during the second wave.

India has always stood with Africa even if it formally announced its Africa policy only during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Uganda in 2018 when he addressed their Parliament essentially proclaiming that India stands with and believes in “Africa for Africans and by Africans.”

He outlined the Africa vision through his ten guiding principles which include : Africa is among top priorities for India and momentum of cooperation will be sustained through regular exchanges; development partnership as per African priorities; preferential access to Indian markets for African products; assist in harnessing digital revolution in Africa; improve Africa’s agriculture potential; fight climate change together; work together to keep oceans and maritime lanes free for all; Africa instead of becoming a theatre of competition should become nursery for its youth; and aspire and work together for a just , representative, democratic global order.

These are ideal, achievable and collaborative policies that dictate a paradigm shift compared to other big powers who are trying to get into the ‘Gold Rush’ for exploitation by way of neo-colonialist approaches.

The dragon is always present in all strategic calculations for most powers and India is no different. Today, China dominates in Africa which is acknowledged and feared by the US and the West.

Chinese leadership has been criss-crossing the continent leaving their large footprints by way of energy and mining deals and large scale infrastructure projects pertaining to railways, roads, ports, construction, agriculture, hydrocarbons, technology and strategic assets by extending loans and grants and through cultivation of leaderships.

It is not for nothing that African countries figure prominently for Chinese Foreign Minister’s first visit in the year.

It has also tried to export its developmental model. No wonder China launched the FOCAC in 2000 that has been replicated by several countries like Japan, India, Russia, France, the US, the UK and the EU in slightly varying formats and even though most of them berate China for its debt trap diplomacy and exploitative engagement and predatory practices.

Many Africans do not buy that coming from the erstwhile colonisers. The US has recently tweaked its Africa policy to meet with the Chinese and Russian challenge in Africa.

China is also changing its perception management style and taking more recourse to investments and joint ventures while writing off several unrecoverable loans and debt. This was clearly evidenced during the 7th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit (FOCAC) held in Beijing on September 3-4, 2018, where 53 African Heads of States participated.

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FOCAC that began in 2000 at Ministerial/Summit levels every three years has evolved into main driving force for Sino-African cooperation even though bilateral formats like China-Kenya Industrial Capacity Development Forum also exist.

In addition, China regularly undertakes high level visits to its African partner countries when huge bilateral projects and financing are announced. At the 7th FOCAC China reiterated its commitment to develop and enrich the comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership.

The Beijing Declaration clearly ingrained the Chinese President’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) into the fabric of their Sino-African engagement which is now being securitised.

Capacity building and training programmes as well as the extensive Lines of Credit have been at the core of India’s outreach to Africa after championing their liberation struggles against colonialism.

This has also created a constituency of tremendous goodwill for India. The Indian technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme since 1964 has focussed on “Share and Care” under the spirit of South-South Cooperation. No wonder, several African leaders fondly recall their Indian teachers even after 40-50 years.

Several military officers were trained in India and rose to become Heads of government and Heads of State in their countries like former President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria who were singularly instrumental in expanding cooperation with India.

At least six current or former African Chiefs of Armed Forces were trained in Indian military institutions and not less than 13 current or former Presidents, Prime Ministers and Vice Presidents attended educational or training institutions in India among a very large number of others.

India also created its own India-African Forum Summits (IAFS) since 2008. The format has graduated from regional interactive matrix to participation of all African leaders at the 3rd IAFS in New Delhi when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a fabulous package of concessional credit of US $ 10 billion, grants in aid of US $ 600 million and 50000 slots for training and higher education over the next five years.

India has already extended 180 LoCs amounting to $ 8 billion to over 40 countries. The dictum about Indian technologies is that they are Available, Adaptable, and Affordable and fit in with the stage of development a country or its constituents are.

It has generated tremendous good will over time since these are demand driven according to African preferences. Similarly, Indian diaspora of about over two million is extremely important and is uniquely industrious in the region.

It does act as a bridge even if sometimes they have provoked the wrath of some local communities through their public behaviour but that has changed a great deal. In many countries they have enough economic clout and are major creators of employment through their industrial enterprise.

Even during the Covid-19 times India supplied medicines, vaccines, and health related equipment to over 42 countries in Africa. This is not new. India has been rendering health related assistance during all the calamities natural or otherwise–be it AIDs, TB and Ebola to Africa.

Speaking at the UN meet on Africa last month External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar not only supported Africa’s legitimate place and representation at the reformed UNSC but also at other multilateral organisations.

He reiterated that India’s commitment to Africa is visible in our 189 projects in 41 African countries being implemented under concessional loans.

It is expressed in our providing medicines, health equipment, ambulances, books, vehicles, and food grains. Or indeed in the vocational training and IT centres set up across Africa, in the 43,000 education and training slots we have provided over the last five years, or the digital education and health programmes with 17 African partners.

Our trade and technology exchanges are steadily growing, in line with closer political and people-to-people ties. Whether it is debt relief or climate change, we treat Africa’s challenges as our own, he added. This is what the Africans appreciate about India.

As India’s engagement with Africa acquires greater strategic salience, also in accordance with her Indo-Pacific strategy, India has also embarked on win-win trilateral partnerships for Africa’s sustainable development.

Asia-Africa Growth corridor (AAGC) with Japan and other infrastructure and capacity building partnerships with the US, the UK, France are some of the initiatives that could leverage reciprocal strengths to support the African growth story that has the potential to drive the Afro-Asian century, with its rich tapestry of human and natural resources, strategic location, youth dividend and the earnest desire to be in charge of their destiny.

The next IAFS, that was supposed to be held last year, will provide India and Africa a unique opportunity to recalibrate the ties to catapult the collaborative matrix into a much higher orbit as India expands its Africa outreach. (INN)

(The writer has been former Indian ambassador to Libya, Jordan and Malta. Presently, he is a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation. Views expressed are his own.)

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UAE suspends flights from Liberia, Sierra Leon, Namibia

The travel suspension includes inbound transit passengers with the exception of transit flights coming to the UAE and heading to these countries…reports Asian Lite News

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) have announced the suspension of all inbound flights for national and international carriers coming from Liberia, Sierra Leon, and Namibia, effective 23:59 on Monday, June 21st.

The travel suspension includes inbound transit passengers with the exception of transit flights coming to the UAE and heading to these countries, the GCAA said in a statement on Saturday.

The GCAA indicated that it is required for those coming from Liberia, Sierra Leon, and Namibia through other countries that the period of their stay in the latter countries is not less than 14 days to be allowed access to the UAE.

Cargo flights between these countries and the UAE will continue, as usual, the statement added.

India-UAE flights to remain suspended until June 30

The GCAA affirmed that UAE nationals, their first-degree relatives, diplomatic missions between the UAE and the three countries, official delegations, businessmen’s planes -after getting prior approvals- and golden and silver residency permit holders, in addition to the holders of essential jobs according to the classification of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) and the staffs of UAE embassies in the three countries are excluded from this decision, provided that they should take preventive measures that include a mandatory 10-day quarantine and a PCR test at the airport as well as another test on the fourth and eighth days of entering the country.

According to the decision, the period of the required PCR test is reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours, provided that the tests are issued by accredited laboratories and carrying the QR Code.

This comes in response to the proactive precautionary and preventive health measures issued by all authorities concerned in the country to limit the spread of the COVID pandemic-19, the statement added.

The authority called on all travellers affected by the decision to follow up and communicate with the airlines to amend and schedule their flights and to ensure their safe return to their final destinations without any delay or other obligations.

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India has quietly upped its game in Africa

The recent visit of external affairs minister S Jaishankar to Kenya just highlighted the importance India is now attaching to Africa notwithstanding the derailment in engagement between India and the African countries due to the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic, reports Mahua Venkatesh

India has quietly upped its game in Africa. While pundits have been busy analysing Indias involvement with China, US and other European countries, Indian public sector as well as private sector have been making deep inroads in Africa. So when India became Africas third largest trading partner, the news failed to grab eyeball.

“Every Indian company wanting to expand globally is looking at Africa as the land of a new set of opportunities,” Chandrajit Banerjee, director general of Confederation of Indian Industry said in an interview.

The recent visit of external affairs minister S Jaishankar to Kenya just highlighted the importance India is now attaching to Africa notwithstanding the derailment in engagement between India and the African countries due to the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Several Indian companies such as ONGC Videsh, Tata Group, Bharti, Godrej Group, Mahindra & Mahindra, Escorts, Apollo, and Essar among others are already present in Africa.

The Economist in a report published in April said “many Zambians, like people in many other developing countries, complain loudly and often about the Chinese firms that are big local investors. India is also a big commercial presence but no one bats an eyelid.”

“In central Lusaka a brand-new flyover flutters with the green, white and saffron of the Indian flag. Throughout the Zambian capital lorries produced by Tata Motors, part of the steel-to-tech Tata empire, are used for everything from construction to rubbish collection. Signs inside the vehicles instruct drivers in both English and Hindi. The lorries’ occupants phone each other over a mobile network run by Bharti Airtel, an Indian telecoms firm,” the report said.

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Africa, rich in natural resources such as minerals, also has 40 per cent of the world’s potential hydroelectric power and a large swath of untilled farmland.

“Africa’s importance will only grow in the coming years and India, which has already expanded its engagements in the continent must continue to do so with a more focused strategy amid the changing global political order,” a member of an industry body who deals with Africa told India Narrative. Agriculture is one area of investment that India must look at, said another analyst.

According to the Diplomat, Africa, as a continent of increasing importance to both China and India, stands to see another manifestation of this competition.

The Diplomat further said that India can compete with China in two ways�by working to enable greater African agency and also pursue its interests, and it can also leverage the long standing and well-integrated diaspora. “This can enable India to chart its own course between the United States, the European Union, and China, in Africa,” it said. Africa is home to more than three million people of Indian origin.

The Asia Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) that was initiated by India and Japan jointly could now once get much needed fillip. “India and Japan need to now move fast on this. Until now there has been negligible progress on this mega project. The governments of the two countries must get the project started at the earliest,” the analyst said.

As the geopolitical thrust shifts towards the Indo Pacific and Africa, the Group of Seven nations in it just concluded meeting said that collaboration with the continent will increase. “We resolve to collaborate with partners around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific and Africa, to actively promote these shared values for the good of all,” the statement issued at the end of the summit said.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

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How India-South Africa is taking on Big Pharma at WTO

India and South Africa have the backing of a large number developing nations, in their demand for an eight-month temporary waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights on vaccines and medicines to treat Covid-19, reports SPS Pannu

The India-South Africa proposal which takes on Big Pharma in seeking a temporary patent waiver for the manufacture of vaccines and medicines to fight the Covid-19 pandemic has made some headway in those advanced countries, opposed to the move, have agreed to discuss the issue next week at the Geneva-based WTO.

World Trade Organisation (WTO) members agreed to begin discussions on June 17 to determine the format of negotiations and to produce a report outlining their progress on the vaccine supply plan by July 21-22, when the WTO’s general council convenes, Reuters cited a Geneva trade official as saying.

In India, Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan said that India and South Africa’s proposal has achieved tremendous mileage and tremendous progression at a very fast pace,” the news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) is reporting.

Wadhawan added that WTO member countries have agreed to commence text-based negotiations on the India-South Africa draft.

While the move has gained strength with the Joe Biden administration also coming out in favour of a temporary patent waiver for Covid-19 vaccines, European countries such as Germany, UK and France, home to big pharmaceutical giants, have been opposing the move.

However, these countries have come under increasing moral pressure to take a humanistic line to tackle the Covid-19 catastrophe confronting the world instead of backing their pharma giants in the pursuit of profit when the death toll in the deadly coronavirus pandemic has already crossed a staggering 376 million worldwide.

The issue was discussed at a recent G-7 meeting of the advanced countries and they veered around to the view that more companies worldwide should be given the technology to manufacture Covid-19 vaccines under a “special license.” While this may appear as a half-way house, considering the more far-reaching India-Africa proposal, it represents a significant step forward, a senior Indian government official told India Narrative.

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The European Union, supported by the UK, Switzerland and South Korea have now taken the stand that existing WTO rules allow countries to grant licences to manufacturers even without the patent-holder’s consent. This is expected to pave the way for wider production of vaccines. But if this is to happen on a war-footing as required much would depend on how far Big Pharma is willing to go to help and part with their technology on vaccines, experts point out.

India and South Africa have the backing of a large number developing nations, in their demand for an eight-month temporary waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights on vaccines and medicines to treat Covid-19. The fact that less than 1 per cent of the population in most developing countries is yet to be vaccinated only highlights the desperate need for big corporates to let go of patents and allow other companies round the globe to manufacture the vaccines. The WHO has also emphasised this aspect and made it clear that war against the pandemic cannot be won unless vaccines and medicines reach the poor countries as well. Developed nations have been arguing that a waiver would not boost production and could undermine future R&D on vaccines and medicines which is the standard rationale for patent waiver in normal times. However, the argument falls flat at a time when humankind is facing a devastating wave of death and suffering triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

pharma

The India-South Africa proposal is broader and includes, apart from vaccines also diagnostics, therapeutics and medical devices used to treat Covid-19 patients in the patent waiver.

The United States has taken the stand that WTO members should focus on what actions might be needed to ramp up vaccine supply and on areas most likely to be accepted by others as soon as possible.

All decisions at the164-member WTO are taken by consensus and have to be agreed upon by all the member countries before approval which makes the task that much more difficult.

However, the India-South Africa proposal has set the ball rolling in the right direction and brought to the forefront the importance of a combined global effort to save humankind from the devastating coronavirus that has jumped species to wreak havoc on an unprecedented scale worldwide.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

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India must step up game in Africa

At a time when China has slowed its investments into the continent, India has an opportunity. The continent will also play an important role as the geopolitical thrust shifts towards the Indo Pacific, reports Mahua Venkatesh

As the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) officially kicked off in January, India must now proactively make a strong pitch to be able to get access to the member countries for expansion of bilateral trade, experts said.

Touted as one of the biggest trade deals in the world, the AfCTA aims to create a single market comprising 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of about $3.4 trillion. This is expected to provide a huge economic boost to Africa, especially in the post Covid 19 phase.

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At a time when China has slowed its investments into the continent, India has an opportunity. The continent will also play an important role as the geopolitical thrust shifts towards the Indo Pacific.

“India has increased its economic activities in Africa, its investments have risen significantly in the last few years but now New Delhi must work out a mechanism with the AfCFTA to be able to expand bilateral trade further,” Pradeep S Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International told India Narrative.

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Mehta pointed out that India has traditionally maintained good relations with Africa. “India has remained politically aligned with the African countries and that gives an edge to New Delhi,” Mehta said.

Earlier, a report published by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) said that the AfCFTA provides a number of opportunities for the Indian firms and investors to tap into a larger, unified, simplified and more robust African market.

“It is critical for India to view Africa not just as a destination for short-term returns but as a partner for medium and long-term economic growth,” the report said.

AfTCA has been signed by 55 countries of which 54 are members of the African Union, which was instrumental in weaving the deal.

China digs in Africa with an eye on its coastline for military bases.(Photo indianarrative)

According to the World Bank, the AfCFTA presents a major opportunity for African countries to bring 30 million people out of extreme poverty and to raise the incomes of 68 million others who live on less than $5.50 per day.

The African Report, in November last year, noted that China, which has “incurred significant losses on the loans it granted to multiple countries” will be selective in extending financial assistance to countries in Africa.

That apart several African countries including Angola, Ethiopia, the Republic of Congo and Zambia, which received loans from China “are no longer in a position to repay the debt they owe” leading to rising concerns of a debt trap.

India is now Africa’s third largest trading partner.

“Africa, will be critical to India’s growth story in the remainder of this century. Eastern Africa especially is also growing in importance as India pursues its Indo-Pacific strategy,” the Financial Express quoted Ambassador Anil Trigunayat as saying.

In 2017-18 India accounted for 6.4 per cent of Africa’s total trade touching $ 62.6 billion. However, in the same year, trade between China and Africa stood at around $185 billion. Similarly, China’s investment in Africa as of 2020 amounted to $147.66 billion.

Africa can become a major source of raw materials including minerals and rare earth. “However, with the Chinese influence most of the mining companies are now owned by them,” Rao Narender Yadav, founder, India-Africa Today �a platform fostering co-operation and camaraderie between the two, said.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

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India needs to make fast moves in Africa

It is also no secret that concerns among several African countries over China’s dominance dictated by its financial muscles are also rising, reports Mahua Venkatesh

The slowing Chinese investments amid rising fear of a debt trap is opening an opportunity for India to re-engage with Africa.

But New Delhi needs to step up its game, both through direct interaction and by reviving its partnership in Africa with Japan, India’s deep-pocket ally.

“It is important to translate words into action. While India has been engaging with several African countries, progress on the ground is time consuming,” Rao Narender Yadav, founder, India-Africa Today, a platform fostering co-operation and camaraderie between the two, said.

India must make rapid geopolitical moves in the post Covid world to emerge as a credible alternative to China, Yadav said.

Analysts say that India has, in recent years has shown inconsistent signs of re-engaging with Africa–a resource rich continent, which, on account of its mineral wealth is bound to play a key role to power the electric car revolution and the Industry 4.0. economy. Specifically, India may have to re-visit its 2017 Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) initiative with Japan and multiple African countries as stakeholders.

The AAGC is a vison document jointly written by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi, the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), Jakarta, and Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO), Tokyo. With focus on developing “quality infrastructure” in Africa, the AAGC is widely seen as India and Japan’s riposte to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which extends prominently into Africa. India and Japan have tied up their initiative to the idea of establishing a free and open Indo-Pacific Region.

A study by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) noted that India’s model of development cooperation in Africa lacks a clear strategy. “In the absence of a clear and well-articulated vision for Africa, India’s development cooperation is often compared to the Chinese model of development cooperation in the region, despite significant differences, which is based on state-led infrastructure for resources deals, rising debt threats, lack of domestic capacity building and job creation,” the report said.

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It is also no secret that concerns among several African countries over China’s dominance dictated by its financial muscles are also rising.

The Institute for Security Studies pointed out that China makes financing relatively easily available, albeit with certain conditions and less ‘paperwork’ than conventional sources. China’s ‘tied aid’ for infrastructure usually benefits Chinese companies, while its loans are in many cases backed by natural resources. “Through this method China achieves the twin goals of economic penetration and strategic leverage,” it said.

An analyst India Narrative spoke to said that common people in Africa have a natural liking towards Indians due to the common colonial past. He also pointed out that they do not have much faith and trust in the Chinese though China has made huge investments in the continent.

China digs in Africa with an eye on its coastline for military bases.(Photo indianarrative)

The German news organisation Deutsche Welle (DW) in a report in 2019, too highlighted how India and Africa forged ties because of their colonial history but the thread was lost in the last decades and that their relationship languished.

According to DW about 3 million people of Indian origin live on the continent while more than 1 million of these call South Africa home.

While India has become Africa’s third largest trading partner, the potential is enormous, experts said.

In 2017-18 India accounted for 6.4 per cent of Africa’s total trade touching $ 62.6 billion. However, in the same year, trade between China and Africa stood at around $185 billion. Similarly, China’s investment in Africa as of 2020 amounted to $147.66 billion.

Africa can become a major source of raw materials including minerals and rare earth. “However, with the Chinese influence most of the mining companies are now owned by them,” India Africa Today’s Yadav pointed out.

The bottom line, experts said, is that India must press the pedal on strengthening relations with Africa at the earliest.

“The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which commenced January 1 this year, could play a key role in expanding Indian trade and investment footprint in the region and promote domestic industrial enterprise in export-oriented manufacturing,” India Briefing, a firm assisting foreign investors throughout Asia, said in a note.

Meanwhile, experts also said that India needs to focus on ensuring security to Africans living in India.

The ORF report highlighted that incidents of race attacks on African nationals have severely dented India’s image. If untreated, this could be a potential source of tension between India and Africa and damage the goodwill India currently enjoys in the continent, it added.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

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Africa News UAE News

UAE renews support for peace and security in Africa

The UAE underlined the need to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and stressed that the accessibility of vaccines needs to be improved…reports Asian Lite News

The UAE has renewed its commitment to working with partners to maintain peace and security in Africa, including when elected to the UN Security Council for the 2022-2023 term.

It submitted a written statement to the UN Security Council’s ministerial open debate on addressing root causes of conflict while promoting post-pandemic recovery in Africa.

The debate was convened by China in its capacity as president of the Council for May 2021 and chaired by Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The UAE underlined the need to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and stressed that the accessibility of vaccines needs to be improved. It also highlighted its initiatives, including a contribution of vaccines and logistics support to COVAX – a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines as well as DP World’s partnership with UNICEF to support their leading role in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

UAE is also sending medical assistance to more than 25 African countries and is supporting the UN’s global relief efforts as host of the UN’s largest logistics hub in Dubai. It expressed concern over how the COVID-19 pandemic is threatening jobs in both the formal and informal sectors in Africa, noting that youth are disproportionately affected.

Underscoring the importance of investing in youth, UAE highlighted its US$500 million investment in African economies, with a focus on youth and digitisation through the “UAE Consortium for Africa,” which was announced in February 2020.

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Noting that terrorism and violence continue to be a destabilising factor in the African continent, including in the Sahel, UAE affirmed its commitment to strengthening collective efforts to boost security and stability in the Sahel. UAE also expressed support for the G5 Sahel Joint Force, including through the College of Defence in Mauritania.

It emphasised the importance of investing in development to achieve peace, including by rapidly scaling up solutions for inclusive climate adaptation and concentrating UN development efforts in fragile regions. To support such work, the UAE has joined with a number of countries to launch the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate, which catalyses public investment in climate-smart agriculture.

Additionally, the UAE stressed the need for the UN to continue strengthening cooperation with regional and sub-regional organisations in the African continent, such as the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities, to address complex peace and security challenges, including the root causes of conflict.

Furthermore, the UAE underlined the importance of empowering women, including them in decision-making, and ensuring their full, equal, and meaningful participation in all matters relating to peace and security.

In this regard, the UAE noted that the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Women, Peace and Security Initiative aims to boost the participation of women in the security sector and has trained more than 100 women cadets from the African continent.

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Africa’s voice not given its due in UN: India

Dr S. Jaishankar (WAM)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed strong and deep solidarity between India and Africa reflects the bonding of the Global South…reports Asian Lite News

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday expressed regret that the voice of Africa is not given its proper due in the United Nations. He said so while speaking at the UNSC open debate on ‘Peace and Security in Africa: Addressing root cause of conflict while promoting post-pandemic recovery in Africa.’

“Our support for the Common African Position, as stated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, is sincere and unambiguous. That is why the issue of reformed multilateralism should be given utmost priority,” Jaishankar said.

He said strong and deep solidarity between India and Africa reflects the bonding of the Global South.

“Our close collaboration is expressed through the India-Africa Forum Summit, as also the G77 and the Non-Aligned Movement. But nowhere is this more evident than in the United Nations itself. It is a matter of continuing regret for us that the voice of Africa is not given its proper due in this most pivotal institution,”

He said “vulnerabilities” of Africa to the Covid-19 pandemic are greater, as such “the world must stand by Africa in this crisis.”

“On its part, India has done so, by supplying medicines, vaccines and health-related equipment to 42 African countries. We are also working in partnership with South Africa and others to address the challenges of accessibility and affordability of vaccines,” the EAM said.

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Maintaining that Africa needs partnership beyond the pandemic, he said this continent’s recovery will be facilitated by partnerships that genuinely address its economic sustainability.

“India’s approach was spelt out by the Kampala Principles enunciated by Prime Minister Modi in 2018. In effect, India will respond to the priorities of Africa, as defined by Africans themselves. Our support is without conditionalities and in line with African expectations. This is visible in our 189 projects in 41 African countries being implemented under concessional loans,” he said.

Listing about ongoing support to the continent, the EAM observed, “It is expressed in our providing medicines, health equipment, ambulances, books, vehicles and food grains. Or indeed in the vocational training and IT centres set up across Africa, in the 43,000 education and training slots we have provided over the last five years, or the digital education and health programmes with 17 African partners. Our trade and technology exchanges are steadily growing, in line with closer political and people-to-people ties. Whether it is debt relief or climate change, we treat Africa’s challenges as our own.”

“Bilaterally, India has partnered in the establishment of defence institutions in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Tanzania. Our training teams have been deployed in Botswana, Namibia, Uganda, Lesotho, Zambia, Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania. When HADR situations have arisen, such as in Mozambique in 2019, India has been there for Africa,” he maintained. (India News Network)

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