"Asia and Africa today"
- is a scientificl monthly journal (in Russian)
of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Included in Russian Science Citation Index on
WoS platform, and EBSCO Publishing.
ISSN 0321-5075. Published since July 1957.

 

 "Asia and Africa today" № 6 2012

 

Azia&Afrika 06 20121-s

 

 Top Problem

REVOLT IN THE ARABIAN WORLD: CROPS AND SHOOTS

TOWARDS THE «ARAB WINTER» by L.L.Fituni, Dr.Sc. (Economy), V.G.Solodovnikov, Corresponding Member of Russian Academy of Sciences
Keywords: North Africa, economy, «Muslim Brothers» The article describes the main results of the first year
of post-revolutionary development in North Africa.
Worsening of economic situation, strengthening of position of Islamic parties to the detriment of the liberal- democratic and nationalist parties is demonstrated.
These processes have caused Western countries and the United States especially to change their policy in the region. They were forced to improve relations with the Islamists, and to increase the economic pressure on these countries.

«ARAB SPRING» AND CROSS-BORDER MIGRATION by I.O.Abramova, Dr.Sc. (Economy), S.A.Bessonov, Dr.Sc. (Economy). Part 1.

Keywords: population, transborder migration, Arab revolutions, labour resources, EU, Africa, migration policies

Revolutionary events in North Africa have interfered with the traditional paradigm of the EU migration policies vis-а-vis Africa, which regarded the states of Maghreb and primarily Libya as a kind of “airbag” against migration from Sub-Saharan Africa. In this context the EU seems to need a new migration concept. The policy of restraining migration does not answer the current economic and demographic situation in the European and other developed countries.
Today pursuing a policy of immigration containment, they must also now take into account the requirements of their economies.

 

 Policy, Economy

BRICS - A NEW PLAYER ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT by T.L.Deutsch, PhD (Economy), E.N.Korendyasov, PhD (Economy). Part 2. (Part 1, see “Asia and Africa Today”, 2012, № 4)

Keywords: BRICS, Africa, cooperation, trade, investment, natural resources
The last decade the BRICS group plays more and more visible role in world affairs. The success of BRICS policy is essentially noticeable in Africa.

NOWDAYS NORTH KOREA HAS THE ONLY ONE SUPPORT - CHINA by O.B.Kiryanov. Part 1.

Keywords: China, North Korea, trade and economic relations, investments
After the death of leader Kim Jong Il in December
2011 power has passed into the hands of his young and inexperienced younger son - 29-year-old Kim Jong Un. Despite the fact that North Korea has managed to go quietly enough through the stage of change of the country’s leadership, what course the new political and military leaders of North Korea will choose remains an open question.
The author believes that further development of North Korea will largely depend not only on the complex alignment of political forces and the immediate decision of the Kim Jong Un, but also on the position of China - the main political ally and major trading partner of North Korea.

WILL THE PEACE COME TO COTE D’IVOIR  by L.M.Sadovskaya, PhD (History)

Keywords: Cote d’Ivoir, ethno-political contradictions, civil war

The article contains the analysis of dramatic events in Cote d’Ivoir from 1993 till now. The author examines the different reasons which caused the civil war of 2002-2004, analyzing the landscape after its termination. The post- war situation can be described as unstable, tense, filled with struggle for political power between the president in force (at that time) Laurant Gbagbo and his opponent Allassane Ouattara, which almost caused a new big civil war by the end of 2010. The author assesses current political and economic situation and the possibility of overcoming the current crisis.

ECONOMIC COOPERATION OF QATAR WITH EUROPEAN STATES by E.O.Kasayev

Keywords: Qatar, Europe, energy, commodity turnover, trade, investment

The author reviews current Qatari trade and investment activity in the Great Britain and Germany, analyses the status and prospects of development of these relations, and made a conclusion that European markets are attractive for the Emirate, especially in export of hydrocarbons and long-term investment in real estate and different sectors of its economy.

ZIMBABWE: IS THE CRISIS OVER? by V.G.Shubin, Dr.Sc. (History). Part 2. (Part 1, see “Asia and Africa today”, 2012, № 5)

Keywords: Zimbabwe, Mugabe, Tsvangirai, land reform
The article is devoted to the country which for a number of years is exposed to an unprecedented (except for Libya, and, more recently, Syria) to pressure from Western powers. An integral part of this campaign - spreading false information about the situation in Zimbabwe, or at least «exaggeration». The author tries to dispel the myths and the most entrenched negative perceptions about this country of South Africa

SINGAPORE. ON THE THORNY PATH TO THE «RELIGIOUS HARMONY» by E.M.Astafieva

Keywords: Singapore, religion, intercultural communication, international relations

Many regions of the world are confronted today with conflicts on the national and religious grounds. That’s why the experience of Singapore in regulation of the confessional relations is of special interest. The country has developed and successfully operates an integrated approach, which is based on a thorough legal framework, which includes both individual provisions of the Constitution, and a number of special laws. The purpose of these laws is to promote the achievement of religious and racial harmony in Singapore.

KENYA: PREDICTED STRUCTURAL- DEMOGRAPHIC RISKS by Y.V.Zinkina, PhD (History)

Keywords: Kenya, socio-political instability

The article substantiates the thesis that Kenya is currently in the Malthusian trap and should make serious efforts to survive. Particular attention is paid to demographic characteristics and the specific processes of urbanization, in particular, risk factors such as «youth bump» and the rapid growth of urban population, predicted by the UN. The author considers various scenarios for Kenya in the coming decades, and gives some recommendations on how to minimize probability of emerging of socio-political instability.

 

 Point of View

ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY by Olzhas Suleimenov. Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to UNESCO

Keywords: Islam, democracy, «Arab Spring»

Islam and democracy is a very hot topic today. When the «Arab Spring» has begun these two concepts appear together more and more often. According to the author, unpredictable events developing in the Arab world makes it to rethink the theme «Democracy and Islam» and with much more caution to use the adjective «democratic». At least, those developments should make us abandon the hasty recognition of any marketplace riot for democratic revolution.

 

 Foreign Expert Opinion

BRICS AND ASSISTANCE TO PALESTINE REFUGEES by Filippo Grandi, Commissioner-General of the Middle East Agency of the UNRWA

Keywords: UNRWA, BRICS, Middle East, youth

The article tells about the activities of the UN Middle East Agency for Palestine Refugees, which works with the most disadvantaged communities in the Middle East for over 60 years. The author notes a special effort which the BRICS countries undertake to assist in the implementation of humanitarian programs of the Agency.

 

 Science News

THE VIIIth CONFERENCE OF ARABISTS IN MOSCOW by M.A.Pakhomova

Keywords: VIIIth Conference of Arabists, modernization in the Arab world, Middle East, «Arab Spring»

Report on the VIIIth Conference of Arabists, held on
14-15 December 2011 at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It was devoted to the theme of modernization in the Arab world within the framework of contemporary trends in world reconstruction.

 

 Culture, Literature, Art

THE NOVEL «1Q84» BY HARUKI MURAKAMI: IT’S UNITY WITH RUSSIA by E.A.Ikonnikova (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Dr.Sc. (Philology)

Keywords: Japanese literature of the XXth century, Haruki Murakami, «1Q84», «Sakhalin Island»

This article is about the most sensational novel of Haruki Murakami «1Q84» and investigation of the so called «Russian» theme in it. One of the main lines of the plot is the Far Eastern part image of Russia which is represented by the author having taken a volume fragment of «Sakhalin Island» by A.P. Chekhov. Mystical «Little People» are correlated with culture and traditions of Sakhalin aborigens. Haruki Murakami in his novel also writes about one more ethnic group which is called Korean migrants. This group of people lives far away from their historical native land (concerning the content of the novel in Russia and in Japan). Haruki Murakami’s interest to Russia reaches its highest point in the novel «1Q84».

CALL OF THE «CUT OFF THE ROOTS» by S.V.Prozhogina, Dr.Sc. (Philology). Part 2 (Part 1, see «Asia and Africa Today», 2012, № 5)

Keywords: Morocco, Tahar Benjelloun, novel «Au pays» («Home»), Arab immigrants in France

The article tells the story of the novel «Au pays», written by the Moroccan writer Tahar Benjelloun who is a laureate of the Goncourt prize. In his novels Benjelloun addresses the most pressing issues of life in his homeland Morocco, and that of France, where he often lives and works.

 

 Book Review

CHINA IN XX CENTURY: A SERIES OF «REVOLUTION» OR EVOLUTION OF SOCIETY IN TRANSITION? by A.S.Kadyrbaev, Dr.Sc. (History)

Review of the monograph by O.E.Nepomnina «History of China. The XXth century» (Moscow, 2011, 725 p.).

 

Summary