PROGRAMME

14:50 hrs-15:00 hrs: Connect Via Cisco WebEx

15:00 hrs -15:05 hrs: Welcome and Opening Remarks, Prof Ajay Dubey, Chairperson: Centre for African Studies JNU, and Secretary General, ASA India

15:05 hrs-15:15 hrs: Inaugural Remarks, Prof. M Jagdesh Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University

15:15 hrs-15:20 hrs:Introductory Remarks, Prof Aparajita Biswas, President, ASA India

15:20 hrs-15:35 hrs: Keynote Address, Prof. Chris Alden, London School of Economics(LSE), London

15:35 hrs-15:45 hrs:Prof Maria Nzomo, Director, Centre for Diplomatic and International Studies, Nairobi University

15:45 hrs-15:55 hrs: Prof. Anand Singh, Kwa-zulu Natal University, Durban, South Africa

15:50 hrs -16:05 hrs: Dr. Genet Teshome, Deputy Ethiopian Ambassador to China, Beijing

16:05 hrs-16:15 hrs: Dr. Philip Gieg, Wurzburg University, Germany

16:15 hrs -17:10 hrs: Interactive Session: (Short Observations:Prof Yaruingam (DU), Prof Tribhuvan Prasad (DU), Dr Sushmita Rajwar (DU),  Dr Bijay Pratihari (JMI), Dr Neha Sinha (ICWA), Ms Ruchita Beri (IDSA), Dr Jamal Moosa (JNU), Dr Gayattri Dikshit (JNU), Aarshi Dua (JNU),Samir Bhattacharya (JNU). &

Question & Answers.

17:10 hrs-17:15 hrs: Concluding Remarks,  Amb Shashank, Former Foreign Secretary and Chairman ASA India

17:15 hrs: Vote of Thanks,  Prof Aparajita Biswas, President 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.

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