India-Africa Political Relations: Issues and Perspectives on Global Political Dialogue, Democracy and Good Governance

This paper explores India’s relations with African countries which date back to the time when Indian traders began to engage with countries along the eastern coast of Africa. These relations took a new turn by the end of the 20th century, with many drivers and rallying points of 20th century such as de-colonization and racial discrimination disappearing. By the turn of the Century, with a prospered economy and a population of more than I billion people India ceased to belong to the same group as the African states. Due to this change in status India’s priorities also changed and it is now playing in the bigger league which presents India with different realities and preoccupation. At strategic level, India’s determination of becoming an influential global power requires the support of African countries, especially in securing a seat at the United Nations Security Council and for the overall expansion and democratic governance reforms of the Council. This paper interrogates the question: given its current status and strategic interests in global affairs, what areas should India engage with African states in order to realize her global power ambitions?

Reassessing the Power of a Sub-Regional Security Provider: The Case of Nigeria in the Gambian Crisis

Nigeria’s traditional role as a security provider in West Africa being a sub-regional hegemon and mainspring of the ECOWAS has enjoyed scholarly engagement since the end of the Cold War. Its advocacy for the ‘African solutions to African problems’ has been a critical component of its African diplomacy since independence in 1960. This advocacy finds its loudest expression in the leadership roles it played in peacekeeping efforts in the continent in tandem with what has been dubbed Pax-Nigeriana. However, Nigeria’s intervention in the Gambian political crisis has generated endless controversies in light of its regional hegemonic disposition. The study, against this background, investigates its intervention in this tiny West African country. It argues, within the context of hegemonic stability theory, that its intervention presents little evidence to suggest that Abuja’s ‘leadership role’ in the resolution of the crisis is indicative of hegemonic influence.

Eclectic Theory and Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria: A Contextual Overview

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an integral and indispensable source of foreign capital for both the developed and developing countries aside its catalytic economic growth accompanying it. Hence, the competition to court more to maximizing its positives by countries is intensified in the contemporary world and eclectic theory offers significant insights on the tripartite and interrelated platforms of ownership, location, and internalization advantages to the appropriation of FDI to an economy. Therefore, this article main objective is to examine Nigeria’s experience in this regard. The case study research method is adopted to carry out a contextual assessment of Nigeria’s FDI position within the eclectic theory framework using secondary data sources. The findings reveal that Nigeria’s location advantages are not too conducive for FDI attraction and optimum exploitation of the internalization advantages by firms which consequently deprived the country of its benefits of export-driven economy objective and employment generation amongst others. The study recommends diversification of her economy and recalibration of the country’s political, economic and policy environment to enable positive predictability, FDI attraction, and its inherent returns appropriation.

Effects of Double Taxation Agreements between Tanzania and India on the Foreign Direct Investments

The paper analyzed policy effects of Double Taxation Agreements (DTA) between Tanzania and India. The study employed desk study and mini-field research survey purposely to obtain primary data and qualitative information from the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), High Commission of India and Indian companies. The paper found that Tanzania has no comprehensive national taxation policy which incorporates DTAs. The current treaties do not protect the government revenue losses. The loopholes include the denial of taxing the gains made by investors selling assets. However, the contribution of Tanzania-India DTAs in Foreign Direct Investment, (FDIs) flow in Tanzania has been significant positive. Indian FDIs have positive effects on Tanzanian employment. Moreover, the investments from India have brought massive capital flows and new technologies into the country. Tanzania-India DTA is more potential for sustainable national development. The study recommends the need to review and formulate New National Investment Policy 2019 that effectively integrate into sustainable fiscal and sector policies. Tanzania has to review all DTAs with aim of minimizing government revenue losses and to renegotiate all existing DTAs adopting UN Model Tanzania. It has to rationalize favoured bilateral treaties to signal their commitments to stable, correct, and often favourable treatment of foreign investors. Tanzania has to implement the Goal #17 of Sustainable Development Goal as that of “Partnering for Development” as a strategy to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

An Econometric Analysis of Maize Farmer’s Choice of Land Ownership Systems: Evidence Using Panel Data from Tanzania

This paper determines the socioeconomic and physical characteristics that influence maize farmer’s choice of land ownership systems in Tanzania, i.e., owned, sharecropped, and rented title land. The paper uses the Tanzania National Panel Survey (TZNPS) data basing on 2,073 observations comprising of a sample size of 691 households in three consecutive waves 2008/2009, 2010/2011, and 2012/2013. Using a t-test for mean comparison, the paper found that there is a significant difference between male and female-headed households across socioeconomic and physical factors determining the choice of land ownership systems among maize smallholder farmers. Moreover, the paper findings revealed that 90 percent, 7 percent, and 3 percent of the sampled maize smallholder farmers chose to farm under-owned, shared, and rented title land system respectively. Furthermore, the econometric analysis which is grounded from the multinomial logit regression model showed that accessibility, farm size, quantity harvested, accessibility of extension services, gender, household size, and age are all pertinent in influencing the smallholder maize farmer’s choice of land ownership. The paper recommends that these characteristics of the smallholder maize producers should be critically considered when formulating any land and agricultural policies to enhance proper decision making by smallholder farmers on the choice of land ownership system that may led to sustainable agricultural production, productivity, and food security in developing countries particularly in Tanzania.

The Practice of Participatory Budgeting during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Zimbabwe’s Local Government Sector: A Case of Chitungwiza Municipality

The experiences of participatory budgeting on the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe is widely discussed and acknowledged, yet there is paucity of literature of the interface between the two variables. This study therefore seeks to examine how Chitungwiza Municipality has interfaced with Residents and Stakeholders in the participatory budgeting processes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using informant interviews, non-participant observation, focus group discussions and analytical desk research, the paper argues that COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns has become the most recent threat to the practice of local democracy, particularly to those local government institutions that largely rely more on physical meetings as engaging platforms for participatory budgeting. The study prescribes policy recommendations to improve urban participatory governance within the context of COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Income and Employment Potential for Youth and Women in Tanzania’s Micro, Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises

This paper looks into the income and employment potential for youth and women in tourism micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME s). The survey data collected from seven regions of Tanzania during September–October 2018 is used. Analyses are focused on two main issues: estimation of determinants of income in tourism MSME s and implications for youth and women employment; and examination of perceived youth employment potential in the tourism industry of Tanzania. Quantile regression approach is applied in estimation of determinants of income; and the ratios of perceived employment potential and constraints to the youth employment are analysed. The findings demonstrate earning as the leading employment incentive and is determined by education of the owners of MSME s, inter alia. Larger proportion of enterprises owned by youth than those owned by elderly people are informal, which has a negative bearing on incomes of youth. Women and youth owned enterprises are constrained in terms of credit access. Policy implications include the need to address the social problem of gender inequality, enhancing requisite skills and knowledge for tourism sector professions, and formalisation and scaling up of credit access for the youth and women.

Implementation of the Convention on Rights of the Child (CRC) in Tanzania, 2005–2011: A Critical Review

This paper presents a critical review of the implementation of three selected articles of the Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC): Article 1 which defines of who is a child; Article 28 which stipulates the child’s rights to basic education; and Article 32, which calls on governments to protect the child from labour. Its analysis draws on the Tanzania 3rd, 4th, and 5th combined CRC implementation report, the CSO’s CRC implementation alternative report, and the CRC Committee’s observations. The findings suggest that, although there have been remarkable commitment and promising progress in making children’s rights a reality for Tanzanian children, there were still some challenges and dilemmas that emerged during their implementation. Thus, the study recommends for the harmonisation of the understanding of who is a child in addition to main-streaming work as an integral part of children’s childhood life.