Africa Trends


Exit of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID)

UNAMID's exit did not emerge from a context of peace or progress towards conflict resolution in Darfur. Instead, the exit decision was essentially the outcome of the reflection that keeping the mission on the ground would not change the situation. Initially, the hybrid peacekeeping model was seen as a paradigm shift in peacekeeping operations, and many hailed it as the future of UN peace operations.

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FOCAC 2021: Key Takeaways

The latest FOCAC displayed China’s fresh efforts to enhance its soft power, as well as its engagement with the African countries. The meeting underlined some new areas of future cooperation and China’s commitment towards a win-win partnership with Africa.

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The Revival of the Air Force of Zimbabwe

The Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) has an enviable combat record among the air forces of Sub-Saharan Africa. It has a strong professional ethos and, until budgetary cuts and sanctions came into effect, was one of the most effective air forces in the region. It has gone through a period of decline and relative stagnation in strength. However, the last two years point to a revival in its fortunes though this is through the restoring of grounded equipment to service.

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Blanche Rocha D’Souza, Harnessing the Trade Winds: The Story of the Centuries-Old Indian Trade with East Africa, Using the Monsoon Winds

Blanche Rocha D’Souza, Harnessing the Trade Winds: The Story of the Centuries-Old Indian Trade with East Africa, Using the Monsoon Winds, First published in Kenya in 2008 by Zand Graphics Ltd, Reprinted in India 2021 by Pentagon Press LLP. Pp. 204. INR 995.

ISBN (hardcover): ‎ 978-93-90095-43-8

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The Resurgence of the Islamic State in the Sahel and Its Strategic Impact on Regional Security

While the Islamic State has been officially eliminated in Iraq and Syria, it is rapidly strengthening its bases in the territories outside Iraq and the Levant like the Sahel and West Africa through its local affiliates. It is also mending terms with the Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) – now operating in the Sahel under the umbrella of the Group in Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM). Its growing affinity with Al-Qaeda could strengthen and multiply its workforce and provide access to Al-Qaeda's existing resources.

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Exploring the Blue Economy to Bridge Funding Gap in Nigeria

Nigerian government should promote a coherent win-win cooperation across sub-regional, regional and international marine economic fields. This begins with ratification of the six instruments of International Maritime Organization by the Nigerian government. Ambitious nations are investing heavily in blue economy taking into account the projected contributions to their GDP. Nigeria cannot be an onlooker.

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Purnima Mehta Bhatt, The African Diaspora in India: Assimilation, Change and Cultural Survivals, 1st Edition, Routledge, New York, 2017

Indo-African relations in the last ten years have been considerably enhanced through the lines of credit that the former has extended to the latter in various fields such as agriculture, health, infrastructure, and others. Therefore, these have received attention in academic writings. However, the focus on the African diaspora in India has been quite limited in comparison to the African students who visit India as part of the diplomatic relations.

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