CAS, JNU organised a conference on India Africa Forum Summit- IV: Opportunities and Challenges
The Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies, JNU organised a National Conference on India–Africa Forum Summit- IV: Opportunities and Challenges on 27th March, 2026 in collaboration with the Department of African Studies, University of Delhi and African Studies Association (ASA) of India in partnership with World Cultures Hub Forum. The Conference Convenors were Dr. Sushmita Rajwar, JNU; Prof. Ajay Dubey, ASA India and Prof. A. S. Yaruingam, DU.
The Inaugural Session was Chaired by Prof. Sharad Soni, Associate Dean SIS who highlighted the significance of holding an event on IAFS IV at JNU. Dr. Sushmita Rajwar introduced the theme of the conference. Amb. Virendra Gupta, former High Commissioner to South Africa talked about the importance of academia to deliberate on African affairs. He pointed out how IAFS has been a purely bureaucratic exercise but now it must have input from the academics as well. H. E. Desire Boniface Some, Amb of Burkina Faso to India talked about the relevance of the Summit for Francophone countries in Africa and how India must expand its footprint in Francophone Africa as it has become much easier than before. H. E. Prof. Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda, High Commissioner of Uganda to India spoke on the historical relations between India and Uganda and how after the 2018 Indian PM visit the relationship with Africa was strengthened due to the ten guiding principles of India-Africa engagement.
Prof. Ajay Dubey spoke on how we can improve this engagement further with the IAFS. He pointed out how India started to engage through the Banjul Formula and then felt that its most important partners are being left out in this engagement through IAFS. Banjul formula was a mechanism by African Union that restricted attendance from African side to 15 selected African head of states and regional representatives. Therefore, India made a decision to let go of the Banjul formula and invited all African head of the states to be a part of IAFS III held in 2015. He said that it is a known fact that India had problems in negotiating with the African Union on where the Summit should be held as India wanted the summit in India and AU wanted the summit in Africa. But the truth is it took almost a decade for both sides to hold the IAFS IV for which the dates have still not been decided. He also stressed that private sector engagement is the key for engagement with the African countries and they must be supported by the Indian government to invest in Africa. There were around 30 papers presented during the conference which focused on the opportunities and challenges of the IAFS IV.