Report of conference held on 9-10 June 2011 at the South African Institute of International Affairs, Johannesburg

The document details a 2011 conference on India-Africa relations, highlighting the shift toward South-South co-operation and the potential for shared economic growth. It examines the role of the private sector, specifically the success of Indian firms in South Africa compared to Chinese firms, and discusses strategic cooperation in energy, pharmaceuticals, and security. The report also addresses global governance reforms, including the push for permanent seats on the UN Security Council for India and African nations, and the economic nature of climate change negotiations.

• Bilateral trade between India and Africa was valued at $50 billion at the time of the conference, with projections to reach $70 billion by 2015. Indian investment is primarily concentrated in pharmaceuticals, ICT, mining, and agriculture.
• Indian firms in South Africa demonstrate higher staying power and lower failure rates than Chinese firms. This is attributed to longer-term investment horizons, better risk assessment, and a shared business culture as former British colonies.
• South-South co-operation (SSC) is shifting the development discourse from 'aid effectiveness' to 'development effectiveness,' emphasizing inclusive economic growth and productive sectors over social sectors alone.
• Climate change negotiations are characterized as economic negotiations rather than purely environmental ones, as decisions on energy and technology alter national growth paths. There is a significant North-South divide regarding the interpretation of 'common but differentiated responsibility.'
• India and South Africa both seek permanent membership in the UN Security Council, but their progress is hindered by different bloc dynamics: India by the G4 and South Africa by the Ezulwini Consensus.
• Security cooperation in the Indian Ocean is essential for both India and Africa to keep sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) open, facing threats from non-state actors, piracy, and instability in littoral states like Somalia, Myanmar, and Pakistan.

APA

Sidiropoulos, E. (2012). Report of conference held on 9-10 June 2011 at the South African Institute of International Affairs, Johannesburg. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/rep_india_africa-sa_conf_report_feb_2012.pdf

Chicago

Sidiropoulos, Elizabeth. Report of conference held on 9-10 June 2011 at the South African Institute of International Affairs, Johannesburg. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2012. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/rep_india_africa-sa_conf_report_feb_2012.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sidiropoulos |first1=Elizabeth |title=Report of conference held on 9-10 June 2011 at the South African Institute of International Affairs, Johannesburg |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=February 2012 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/rep_india_africa-sa_conf_report_feb_2012.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sidiropoulos2012report, author = {Sidiropoulos, Elizabeth}, title = {{Report of conference held on 9-10 June 2011 at the South African Institute of International Affairs, Johannesburg}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2012}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/rep_india_africa-sa_conf_report_feb_2012.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }