International Conference on "Rising Africa: Looking Back to Think Ahead" from 3 - 4 October 2023 at MMAJ-Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia islamia (JMI), New Delhi.
Recent Conferences
•International Conference on "Rising Africa: Looking Back to Think Ahead" from 3-4 October 2023
•International Webinar on May 5th 2020
•Talk by President of African Development Bank at IIC organiseded by ASA/PRIASA on 1st February2013
•Round Table on "China in Francophone and Anglophone Africa: Implications on India", 24th August 2012 at School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
•Public lecture cum discussion by Prof. Denis Venter on "The Imperatives of Democracy and Governance for African Renewal" at Conference Hall I, India International Centre on 27th January 2011 at 6:30 PM
•ASA Interaction with visiting Journalist from Africa January 2011
•South Africa under Globalisation: Issues in Foreign Policy and Development at New Delhi (JNU) on 11-12 Nov 2009
•Asia - Sudan Internation Seminar organised in collaboration with Denmark School of International Studies at New Delhi (at IIC) on 10-11 Nov. 2009
 
International Webinar on 15th May 2020

International Webinar

on 

 

Africa And India During Corona Virus Crisis: New Challenges and  Opportunities in Cooperation

 

Organised by

Centre for African Studies, JNU

in collaboration with

African Studies Association of India (ASA India)

May 15th, 2020 from 3PM to 530PM (IST)

through Webex

 

 

Programme of Webinar

 

 

Connecting with Participants: 250 to 3:PM

 

Welcome:  by ModeratorProf. Ajay Dubey

 

Inaugural Remark at 3:05PM- 315PM: Prof Jagdish Kumar, VC,  JNU

 

Technical Session 320PM : 530PM

 

  Introductory Remarks: Prof Aparajita Biswas, President ASA India, Mumbai University.

 

     1. Keynote speaker:  Prof. Chris Alden, London School of Economics, London

 

     2. Prof. Maria Nzomo,  Director, Centre for Diplomatic Studies, Nairobi.

 

     3.Prof. Anand Singh, Kwazulu Natal University, Durban, South Africa

 

     4.Dr. Genet Tsheme, Deputy Ethiopian Ambassador to China, Beijing

 

     5. Dr. Philipp Geig, Wurzburg University, Germany

 

Concluding Remarks: Ambs Shashank, Former Foreign Secretary,  and Chairman, ASA India

 

Concept Note

 

Africa And India During Corona Crisis: New Challenges and Opportunities in Cooperation


The outbreak and spread of COVID-19 has created multiple challenges for the entire world. There are now more than over 42,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the African continent, with the number of deaths reported at around 1,800 and recoveries at 14,120. According to a report of the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa, under the worst-case scenario with no interventions against the virus, Africa could see 3.3 million deaths and 1.2 billion infections. The healthcare system in Africa is very fragile and underfunded, with 41 countries having only 200 ventilators among them. Even South Africa, which has one of Africa’s best public health systems, has fewer than 1,000 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, of which 160 are in the private sector, for a population of 56m.

Coupled with the above, the UNECA report also warns of severe economic pain across Africa amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with growth contracting to 2.6% in the worst-case scenario and an estimated 27 million people pushed into extreme poverty. The World Bank has said that sub-Saharan Africa could fall into its first recession in a quarter-century.

 Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis, India has been diplomatically bolstering its soft power. India has evacuated not only its own citizens from Wuhan province, the epicenter of the first COVID-19 outbreak, but also citizens from South Africa, and Madagascar, along with  other Indian Ocean Region countries. Secondly, India has emerged as a major supplier of hydroxychloroquine to many African countries in the fight against COVID-19.

India’s policy towards Africa is guided by its shared past and common future in this time of crisis. However, this policy is not in isolation from its current global policy -  in fact, it is part of India’s medical diplomacy and its new global role. Recently, there has been an unprecedented intensification of India’s political and economic engagement with Africa. As Prime Minister Modi has underlined, “African priorities are our priorities.” The COVID-19 crisis presents a key opportunity for India to solidify its status in Africa in the coming years, whereas the other major player, China, is facing challenges of retaining goodwill because of its perceived role in this crisis situation. India’s influence in Africa is expanding as it races to help the continent from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this backdrop, this international panel would like to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Africa’s economy and the potential challenges and problems of India-Africa relations  arising out of this crisis.

Posted on:11-May-2020
 
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