Non-Western Actors in Africa: Interests, Conflicts and Agency

The Collaborative Research Group (CRG) African Politics and International Relations of the Africa-Europe Group for Interdisciplinary Studies (AEGIS), in collaboration with GIGA, is organising the virtual workshop on ‘Non-Western Actors in Africa: Interests, Conflicts and Agency’.

The workshop brings together seven contributions of scholars from different parts of the world who seek to explore recent cases of non-western actors reviving and/or expanding their engagement in Africa.

The AEGIS CRG group is looking for new members and two new convenors - please attend the workshop if you are interested.

In order to register as an external attendant, please go to the EventBrite page of the event.

Programme

First day - Thursday, 21 January 2021 9:30 - 9:45 (GMT) | Welcome and introduction from the convenors of the AEGIS CRG Charlotte Heyl (GIGA), Giulia Piccolino (Loughborough University), Jorg Wiegratz (University of Leeds)

9:45 - 11:15 (GMT) | Panel 1: Africa and the Middle East: involvement and security implications Chair: Jorg Wiegratz, Discussant: Yolanda Spies

• Alexandra Magnólia Dias (Universidad Nova De Lisboa): "The Horn of Africa and the changing international order"

• Tabitha W. Mwangi (King's College London): "Security Implications of Gulf States Activities in the Horn of Africa"

• Adedeji Ademola (Obafemi Awolowo University): "A Vital or Superficial Ally? Interrogating Israel’s New Engagement with African Countries"

11:15-11:45 (GMT) | Break 11:45-13:15 (GMT) | Panel 2: China’s involvement in Southern Africa Chair: Charlotte Heyl (GIGA), Discussant: Mandira Bagwandeen (Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS))

• Yuezhou Yang (London School of Economics): "Property Institutions, Politics, and Foreign Investments in Africa"

• Tim Zajontz (University of St Andrews): "The Chinese infrastructural fix in Africa: Lessons from the Sino-Zambian ‘road bonanza’"

• Innocent Batsani Ncube (School of Oriental and African Studies): "Understanding the phenomenon of Chinese Funded Parliament buildings in Africa"

Second day: Friday, 22 January 2021 9:30 - 11:00 (GMT) | Panel 3: China and India: South South cooperation, rivalry and African agency Chair: Giulia Piccolino (Loughborough University), Discussant: Pedro Seabra (University of Lisbon)

• Jean-Pierre Cabestan (Hong Kong Baptist University): "India-China Competition in Africa and the Indian Ocean: The Case of Seychelles "

• Elisabeth Hofmann (University Bordeaux Montaigne), Kamala Marius (University Bordeaux Montaigne) and Valentin Karm (Barefoot College): "Exporting women empowerment from India to Africa? Reflections based on the case study of the African expansion of Indian NGO Barefoot College"

11:00 - 11:15 (GMT) | Break 11:15 - 12:15 (GMT) | Final discussion, AEGIS CRG business and goodbye