China and Africa: Huawei's Cybersecurity Risks

The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) published on 3 October 2019 a study titled "A Concise Guide to Huawei's Cybersecurity Risks and the Global Responses" by Jonathan Marek and Ashley Dutta, both at NBR.

The analysis examines criticisms leveled against Huawei and how governments have responded. It provides a framework and key examples through which readers can better understand the policy challenges surrounding the company.

It notes that Africa is likely the region outside Asia where Huawei has achieved and can achieve its greatest success. Huawei operates in 40 countries in Africa and is heavily involved in both 4G and 5G network development. Even after a reported network breach, the African Union signed an agreement reinforcing its cooperation with Huawei.

Russia Playing Catchup in Africa

Modern Diplomacy published on 23 September 2019 an interview titled "African Great Game: Russia Playing the Catchup" with George Nyongesa, senior associate at the Africa Policy Institute in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nyongesa underscores Russia's limited engagement in Africa since the end of the Cold War, especially as compared to China, the United States, France, European Union, India, and Japan.

Djibouti's Principal Regional and International Partners

The World Politics Review published on 20 May 2015 an interview titled "Djibouti Cultivating Diverse Economic, Military Partnerships" with David Styan, University of London.  He discusses Djibouti's main regional and international partners and especially its relationship with China.

US-Africa Summit

The U.S.-Africa Summit takes place in Washington 4-6 August 2014.  The focus in Washington is on Africa.  I recommend two papers on the topic that were written before the opening of the Summit.  The first was published by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on 1 August 2014 and is titled "What to Expect at the U.S.-Africa Summit."  It is a Q and A with Jendayi Frazer, adjunct senior fellow for Africa studies at CFR and assistant secretary of state for African affairs during the Bush administration. 

The second paper was published by Brookings on 24 July 2014 and is titled "The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit: Deepening Trade and Commercial Ties" by Zenia Lewis, researcher at the Africa Growth Initiative, and Witney Schneidman, nonresident fellow at the Africa Growth Initiative.  It looks at the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act and ways to increase U.S.-Africa trade. 

Building an Effective Somali National Security Force

The Woodrow Wilson Center's Africa UP Close blog published a piece on 7 April 2014 titled "Lessons from the Field: One Somalia, One Army? Building an Effective Somali National Security Force" by Paul D. Williams, associate professor in the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University.  Williams analyzes the current challenges facing the Somali National Army and its external donors.

Some Ideas for Dealing with Al-Shabaab

Roger D. Carstens, a former U.S. Army Special Forces Officer who recently spent 15 months in Somalia as an observer and military advisor, offered some excellent advice for countering al-Shabaab in a 7 October 2013 piece in Foreign Policy titled "Analog War: How to Rid Somalia of Al-Shabab Once and for All--in Six (not-so) Easy Steps."

Europe and Africa from a Polish Perspective

The Central and Eastern Europe Development (CEED) Institute in cooperation with the Polish Centre for African Studies just published a major study titled "Africa-Europe on the Global Chessboard: The New Opening."

The objectives of the study are threefold.  First, it seeks to critically discuss major economic, political and social trends in Sub-Saharan Africa.  Second, it examines an on-going shift in Africa's international relations with the outside world where Europe's clout is waning and South-South cooperation is on the rise.  Third, it seeks to better understand the business and political practices of developing countries in Africa and provide food for thought to the European Union, whose business presence in Africa has been alarmingly limited.

Strategic Importance of Djibouti

Chatham House published in April 2013 a briefing paper titled "Djibouti: Changing Influence in the Horn's Strategic Hub" by David Styan, Birkbeck College, University of London. 

The study emphasized the expansion of the US Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) base in Djibouti, the reconfiguration of France's military presence and the establishment of Japanese and other military facilities there.  Djibouti has become an international maritime and military laboratory where new forms of cooperation are being developed.

Djibouti has accelerated plans for regional economic integration. Building on close ties with Ethiopia, existing port upgrades and electricity grid integration will be enhanced by the development of the northern port of Tadjourah.  These strategic and economic shifts have yet to be matched by internal political reforms, and growth needs to be linked to strategies for job creation and a renewal of domestic political legitimacy.

19 April Meeting of International Dialogue on Peacebuilidng and Statebuilding in Washington

The Third Global Meeting of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding will take place in Washington on 19 April 2013 at the Willard Hotel (1401 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. 

The event brings together a group of ministers (mostly finance and international development) from African and OECD countries to discuss the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States, which was an agreement signed in 2011 meant to change the way fragile countries and their partners work together on peacebuilding.  Somalia recently decided to use the New Deal as the framework for its cooperation with donors and the European Union has signed on as the lead donor in Somalia.

Click here for more information on the 19 April meeting in Washington.

Ethiopia, China and the European Union

Christine Hackenesch, research fellow at the German Development Institute, published an article in the first issue for 2013 of the Journal of Current Chinese Affairs titled "Aid Donor Meets Strategic Partner? The European Union's and China's Relations with Ethiopia."

Using Ethiopia as a case study, the paper assesses the "competitive pressure" that China's growing presence in Africa exerts on the European Union's development policy.  The study draws on interviews conducted in China, Ethiopia and Europe between 2008 and 2011.

The author concludes that the European Union engages Ethiopia as an aid recipient, whereas China has developed a comprehensive political and economic partnership. 

European Union and the Horn of Africa

The European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs commissioned a study on the European Union's framework for the Horn of Africa. Released in September 2012, the authors are Ahmed Soliman, Alex Vines and Jason Mosley, all of Chatham House in London.

The authors concluded that quiet engagement in Ethiopia and Eritrea presents the greatest new opportunity to influence constructive shifts in regional security and economic dynamics. This was true before the death of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, and is even more the case now. Strengthening the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) will also be essential if the region's potential and the EU's goals are to be realized.

Click here to read the report.

Somali Piracy, China and the US

Andrew Erickson, associate professor in the Strategic Research Department at the US Naval War College, and Austin Strange, a researcher at the China Maritime Studies Institute of the Strategic Research Department, collaborated on an article in the Spring/Summer 2012 issue of the Harvard Asia Quarterly on China's role in combating Somali piracy and its implications for wider naval involvement.

The authors concluded that "on balance, Beijing's experience in the Gulf of Aden has been positive thus far. China's strategic interests may continue to impel the PLAN to make more substantive contributions to non--traditional maritime stability. ... Chinese and American interests overseas will intersect in the 21st century more so than ever before, making substantive cooperation between the two sides indispensable, not only for US-China relations but also for the stability of the global commons."

Click here to access the article.

Somalia, Piracy and the EU

The Global Governance Institute (GGI), an independent think tank based in Brussels, published a study in July 2012 titled "The Somali Crisis and the EU: Moving Onshore and Committing to Somalia." The authors are Georg-Sebastian Holzer and Hubertus Jurgenliemk, both with the Peace and Security Section of GGI.

The authors look at political dynamics in Somalia and recommend closer integration of onshore and offshore-based engagement to combat piracy and improve security in Somalia.

Click here to read the paper.

Somali Piracy Studies

The Study for the Greens/European Free Alliance published a lengthy document titled The EU and Somalia: Counter-Piracy and the Question of a Comprehensive Approach in February 2012. The authors are Hans-Georg Ehrhart and Kerstin Petretto, both associated with the University of Hamburg.

The authors argue that the EU, although it claims to follow a comprehensive approach to combating piracy, is really dealing with the problem piecemeal. They call for a reconsideration of the EU effort. Like most previous studies, the authors emphasize that the solution for the piracy challenge is on land and not in the water. The EU should follow an explicit "Somalia first" approach--as opposed to a "piracy first" policy--whereby the lead has to be in the hands of the Somali people themselves. The authors suggest that the EU should consider supporting alternative approaches to centralized forms of governance and de facto trusteeships such as decentralized systems of governance or non-state oligopolies of power. Click here to read the entire report.

Piracy Studies is a good website created as a page for sharing academic resources related to the study of contemporary maritime piracy. The site is edited by Christian Bueger of Cardiff University and Jan Stockbruegger of the University of Leiden. Click here to access the website.