CONCEPT NOTE
AFRICA-INDIA RELATIONS IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Proposed seminar between UKZN-ASA/PRIASA: 26-27 September 2012
As tangible reordering of the world’s economy tilts even more towards the Near and Far East, social, economic and political relations between South Africa and the rest of the African continent are visibly increasing, with every passing year. While India’s investment in South Africa immediately after the country’s first general elections on 27 April 1994 was no more than a few hundred million dollars, it has grown substantially since, to more than 12 billion US dollars. In fact, levels of trade volumes between South Africa and India have doubled from 2007 to 2010. India has become South Africa’s sixth largest destination for its exports and its ninth largest source for imports. In a recent address, South Africa’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, emphasised on the huge potential for furthering mutually beneficial trade exchanges and increasing investment channels between South Africa and India.
World trade patterns were changing and that South Africa was in a good position to seize new opportunities. The African continent is now in a fortunate position where there is now a diversity of trade and investment partners. All this was stated in an atmosphere of realization that the entire African continent is no longer restricted to the narrowistic terms of trade that was once set by the mainly Western G7 countries. The countries in Africa now have broader opportunities through IBSA (India/Brazil/South Africa conglomerate), as well as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and India’s multilateral engagements through India Africa Forum Summits.
As trade and cultural exchanges increase between the African continent and India, the need for an increased dialogue among academic, the business and wider political communities, and researchers between both continent and sub-continent becomes even more relevant and necessary. While India is one country and Africa a continent of 54 countries, the population of the former is more than that of the latter. There are 2.5 million People of Indian Origin in Africa who are a heritage resource to build bridges between India and Africa. Moreover, the ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity is almost equally challenging to the discerning scholar.
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