29 Nov 2024

African Think Tank

Association For Strategic Culture and Research Foundation

African Think Tank

Russia-Africa Summit: The Roadmap to Africa, Shift in Geopolitical Relations

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent warm greetings to African leaders, business people and participants early October, signaling that everything is set for the first Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi, southern coastal city of Russia.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

26 February, 2021

Why South Africa Should Embrace Pakistan’s “Look Africa” Policy

In March 2021, the Pakistan’s leaders unveiled country’s comprehensive security vision at the first Islamabad Security Dialogue – the first of its kind National Security Dialogue held in Islamabad. Aimed at broadening the concept of National Security, encouraging strategic communication, and presenting the South Asian emerging power as a centre of regional connectivity and global development

By Lungile Cabangani II

5 April, 2021

South Africa: The most ideal partner for Russia in Africa.

Central documents are Joint Declaration on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Africa, signed during the working visit of President Vladimir Putin to the RSA timed to BRICS Summit in Durban in March 2013 and the Treaty on Friendship and Partnership concluded within the official visit of President of Russia Vladimir Putin to the RSA in September 2016.

By Lungile Cabangani II

19 April, 2021

Global Trends 2040

Every four years, US intelligence community analysts try to predict what is going to happen in the next 20 years. Although events regularly take place that show how difficult it is to make predictions for even the next five years (I’m talking about predictions, not plans), the US intelligence community continues putting together these reports using a set template.

By Leonid Savin

3 May, 2021

SADC: The Crisis of South Africa’s National Security Strategy Will Diminish What’s Left of BRIC“S” And Country’s Multipolar Dreams.

Without basic strategic planning document defining its National Interests and Strategic National Priorities, objectives, tasks, and measures in the sphere of national security, Republic of South Africa is unlikely to meet its stated goals in energy security, communications, finance, and state and public security.

By Lungile Cabangani II

21 May, 2021

Struggle for influence in Africa

Africa is of natural interest to the leading political forces operating on the world stage. It has a huge territory, more than a billion people and natural resources, which, according to various estimates, make up 30-40% of all mineral reserves of the planet. At the same time, the level of development of the continent itself, at least in the last five hundred years, is significantly lower than the level of development of the surrounding European and Asian countries.

By V.M. Sergeev, VIPerson

27 May, 2021

Whither Afghanistan? Getting Out Is Harder Than Getting In

Given the lack of any deep thinking going on in the White House, Americans could easily find themselves in yet another Afghanistan.

By Philip Giraldi

14 August, 2021

Russian Duma elections mark a watershed moment in Russia-West relations

This election marks a watershed moment in Russian national security policy, whose large international implications will not be immediately perceived by the Western strategic policy community which remains a prisoner of its own false narrative of Russia as a country which is sooner or later bound to fail.

By Tony Kevin

21 September, 2021

Foreign Competition In Guinea: The Scramble For Natural Resources

Guinea has struggled with political instability and endemic corruption since its independence from France in 1958. Despite the country’s poor infrastructure, there is a significant foreign presence in Guinea. Countries are mostly competing for its mineral resources, such as gold, diamonds, bauxite, and iron ore. The United States, along with other foreign powers, vies for access to these resources and for the ability to influence the country’s government.

By Jessica Pickering

22 September, 2021

A Gendarmerie For South Africa?

South Africa’s Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise told Parliament she wanted to consider establishing an ‘intermediate’ military force trained and equipped to deal with unrest. She referred to France, an obvious nod to its gendarmerie system that’s been copied by most of its former African colonies.

By Jakkie Cilliers

22 September, 2021

France's Worries About Wagner's Alleged Deployment To Mali Make No Sense

In the event that those reports turn out to be true and such a deal is ultimately reached, then it should be internationally praised instead of condemned.

By Andrew Korybko

26 September, 2021

What Does An EU Indo-Pacific Strategy Entail?

The EU strategy currently appears to be pointed more towards building on established partnerships and developing new ones with like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific to ensure its role and growing presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

By Premesha Saha

4 October, 2021

The Impact of Climate Change on Africa’s Economies

The ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) should specifically address the climate change impact on Africa or failing that the African Union (AU) should call for an Africa-specific conference to address this issue.

By Charles A. Ray

4 November, 2021

China Is the Biggest Winner From Africa’s New Free Trade Bloc

When the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was initially proposed at the African Union summit in 2012, it had two goals: First, build a pan-African agenda in trade and cooperation. Second, lift a large percentage of people out of poverty by instituting structural economic changes and cooperative legislation.

By Oluwatosin Adeshokan

9 November, 2021

Class Warfare and Socialist Resistance: Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela as Existential Threats to the US

The fact that Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela are not only attempting to build independent projects but build socialism makes their example even more of a threat.

By Ajamu Baraka

17 November, 2021

Fifty Truths about Fidel Castro

48. After a trip to Cuba in 2001, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., a historian and special advisor to President Kennedy, raised the question of the cult of personality: “Fidel Castro does not encourage the cult of personality. In Havana it is difficult to find a poster or even a post card with a photo of Castro on it. The icon of Fidel’s revolution, visible everywhere, is Che Guevara”.

By Salim Lamrani

30 November, 2021

Why APEC Still Matters More Than Ever

The United States and China both have skin in the APEC game. The setting in which they must deal is multilateral, and their dealings are on full display to all other 19 members. APEC is not a negotiating forum that delivers formal inter-state agreements or has legal supra-national authority. It gives equal voice to, and requires consensus among, all its members, large, small and middling. It is no accident that the Biden-Xi summit follows hard on the heels of APEC.

By Peter Drysdale

2 December, 2021

Burning Ambition: Egypt’s Return To Regional Leadership And How Europe Should Respond

Egyptian foreign ministry officials interviewed for this paper describe the last decade of Egypt’s regional positioning as “defensive” in nature as the country contended with domestic issues.

By Hafsa Halawa

11 December, 2021

The Russia-Africa Situation Analysis Report

The report proposes that dialogues should be enhanced between civil societies, including expert and academic organizations. In a situation where a rapid expansion of trade and economic relations is difficult (for example, due to economic stagnation or a crisis in the respective country), the humanitarian track can become one of the ways to deepen relations further.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

15 December, 2021

The New Era Of Great Power Competition And The Biden Administration: Emerging Patterns And Principles

Geostrategic Interactions. Russia and China present distinct competitive threats to the United States around the globe. In many regions, Russia often poses the more immediate challenge, whereas the repercussions from Chinese economic investments manifest themselves subtly and will likely undermine U.S. strategic interests more gradually.

By Thomas F. Lynch III

27 December, 2021

Africa in Review 2021 (Part II) : Regional Conflict and the Role of Imperialism

During the coup in Conakry in May 2021, the presence of AFRICOM troops were strongly in evidence. These military leaders could not act with this degree of impunity absent of the full backing of transnational corporations, international finance capital and their security apparatuses. Stability and security will only be realized once the resources, land and labor of African people are retaken and used for the benefit of the majority.

By Abayomi Azikiwe

31 December, 2021

Information operations: An understudied facet of Russian influence in Africa

Russia’s Evolving Information Operations

By Miriam Roday, Sarah Daly

20 January, 2022

How does the Ukrainian crisis affect Libya?

International companies rushed to consult with the Libyan National Oil Corporation about increasing supplies to Europe, but experts made clear their concerns about the political situation that the National Oil Corporation may not have export possibilities with the decline in good maintenance and oil smuggling.

By Miral Sabry Al Ashry

27 February, 2022

Why Did U.S. Prioritize Containing China Over Russia?

These calculations seemingly changed sometime around last fall, when everything began to get much more intense in Europe. A decision had apparently been made to not sincerely negotiate with Russia in good faith and, if anything, perhaps even provoke the Kremlin into taking the kinetic action that U.S. intelligence subsequently claimed that it was preparing to authorize.

By Andrew Korybko

17 March, 2022

Ukraine: The Great Manipulation

A timetable was worked out. President Zelenski will address the French parliament, then President Biden will come to Europe to preside over an extraordinary NATO summit, and finally Pope Francis, fulfilling the prayer of the Virgin Mary at Fatima, will consecrate Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin. This montage may appear artificial, but its effect should be powerful. For many Catholics, fighting Russia will become a religious duty.

By Thierry Meyssan

24 March, 2022

After 60 Years of Independence Algeria Remains a Center of International Affairs

France along with other European imperialist states such as Spain, Portugal, Britain, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the United States had met in Berlin in 1884-1885 where they carved up the African continent into spheres of interests based upon their overall strengths economically and militarily.

By Abayomi Azikiwe

13 April, 2022

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