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2017 Asia and Africa today

RUSSIA AND CHINA: FEATURES OF TRADITIONAL FOREIGN POLICY DOCTRINES by Nelly K. SEMENOVA, Research Fellow, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
The historical formation of state geopolitical codes of Russia and China, which are the basis of traditional foreign policy doctrines, is analyzed. The formation of modern Russian-Chinese relations and the creation of any forecasts for their further development can’t be achieved without a thorough analysis of the past, the history of the relations between the two states. When analyzing the historical formation of the foreign policy doctrines of Russia and China, despite the civilizational differences, some similarities in the installations are indicated, which, in the presence of original national traditions, in different periods of history led to a clash of the national interests of the two countries.
Keywords: China, Russia, the Chinese world order, the formation of Russian foreign policy

CHINA-AFRICA: ASSESSING THE PROSPECTS OF COOPERATION by Alexey R. BOGUSLAVSKIY, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
China increases its engagement with Africa. Beijing’s cooperation with the countries of the continent is becoming increasingly rich and diversified. But not without difficulties. Critics have called the China-Africa interaction unfair and inequitable, and leading to a new edition of colonialism on African soil. This article is an attempt to provide answers to the chief issues related to Chinese-African relations, assess their current state, as well as, where possible, to reflect on how they can develop further.
Keywords: China, Africa, cooperation, investments, prospects

INDIA. ELECTION CAMPAIGN, 2017 IN UTTAR PRADESH. RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES by Valeriy P. KASHIN, PhD (History), Institute of Oriental Studies, RAS ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
The author analyses the struggle of parties and alliances during the election campaign to the legislature in the most populated state of India, Uttar Pradesh. The election took place in February-March, 2017 and turned out to be the most important political event of the country. The results of the campaign were sensational. The conservative Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got 39,7% of votes and 312 seats in the legislature that allowed the BJP to come back to power in the state after a 14-year-old break. The aim of the following article is to study the results and perspectives of the election campaign in UP, the change in the electorate’s mind as well as the reasons for the BJP and its leader Narendra Modi’s victory that can be seen as a serious claim for success in the parliament election campaign, 2019.
Keywords: Bharatiya Janata Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, Indian National Congress, Uttar Pradesh, election, legislature

 ENERGY: PRESENT AND FUTURE

AFRICAN ENERGY: PRESENT AND FUTURE by Elena F. CHERNENKO, PhD (Economics), Assoсiate Professor, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
In the article the role of energy factor in the development of modern Africa taking into account significant differentiation of the countries of the continent is examined both in the aspect of security with energy resources and different possibilities in the organization of their processing and effective use. The author accentuates attention in the value of international interaction for the development of African power engineering, and also the interests of different countries and companies, which act in the energy sphere. In this case it is emphasized that successful development of national power engineering of African countries will in many respects depend on making more active inside the regional collaboration.
Keywords: Africa, power engineering, investment, energy diplomacy, interests, the social and economic development

AIR TRANSPORT OF THE MIDDLE EAST: THE REVERSE SIDE OF SUCCESS by Alekseyi A.TYRTOV, Institute of Oriental Studies, RAS ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
The article touches upon matters of aviation sector development in Arabian monarchies which role has increased within recent years in the national economics. The author describes success factors that provided for establishment of airlines and ground infrastructures. At the same time the article pays attention to matters having adverse effect on further aviation development in the region. The analysis proves that each separate state is not in position to solve the problem, and the author emphasizes importance of joint efforts of all regional players in this direction.
Keywords: aviation, the Persian Gulf, air traffic control (ATC), air traffic management (ATM)

NATIONAL SIMBOLS OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES: NATIONAL FLAGS by Lyubov Ya. PROKOPENKO, PhD (History), Senior Research Fellow, Institute for African Studies, RAS ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
The article deals with the history of national flags of African countries, their importance for the political life and the state’s image. Variety of elements of flags, their coloring and design features is particularly shown (presence of specific elements that are very rare or even unique in the modern flags, not only in Africa). In a number of countries on the continent there is a tradition to celebrate the National Flag Day.
Keywords: national flags, African countries, national symbol, communication media, vexillology, flag design, pan-African colors, Flag Day

LIBYA AND AFRICA. FROM CHAD’S CONFLICT TO «ARAB SPRING» by Fatuma M.M. MAMLOUK, Сharge d’Affaires of State of Libya in Russian Federation ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
The author believes that the intervention of the Western coalition in Libya and the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime was caused by a number of reasons. Not the last role was played by the activity of the Libyan leader on the African continent, which caused great anxiety on the part of the great powers had their own interests here. The author argues that since the 1990s, Africa has become one of the priorities in the foreign policy of Gaddafi. Libya took part in the civil war in Chad, has provided substantial financial assistance, as some States and individual political actors. The article shows how in the 2000s, the Libyan leader became the author of the ambitious project, which could turn the development vector of the whole continent. He proposed to abandon the use of the us dollar and the CFA franc, initiated the reorganization of the Organization of African unity and creating a United States of Africa. In conclusion, the author shows how the African States tried to play the role of mediator during the «Arab spring» in Libya.
Keywords: Libya, Africa, Chad, the African Union, the United States of Africa, Arab spring, Gaddafi

«THE EMERGENCE OF AFRICA»: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS by Тatiana S. DENISOVA, PhD (History), Institute for African Studies, RAS ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
In March 2017, the International Conference on the Emergence of Africa took place in Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire). The event was attended by African government officials, representatives of the international and regional organizations, business circles, civil society and research centers from 54 countries. The discussion focused on issues of political and socio-economic development, problems and prospects for cooperation between African states on a bilateral and multilateral basis, and joint actions in the international arena.
Keywords: Africa, «emergence», international conference, Cote d’Ivoire, UNDP

ESENIN IN CHINA by Boris N. GORBACHEV, Dr.Sc. (History), Professor ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
The article is devoted to the little known subject «Esenin’s Creativity in China». The author examines the history of the emergence of poetry poet Esenin, and information about the Russian poet in China. describes the basic book of translations into Chinese of Esenin, and studies of modern Chinese literature creativity of Esenin. The article tells about the Russian poet ‘ interest to ancient Chinese poet Li Bo (Li Bai), as well as the influence of Esenin’s poetry on the creativity of contemporary Chinese poet Hai Zi.
Keywords: Esenin, China, Li Bo (Li Bai), Hai Zi, literary influence, translations of Russian poetry into Chinese, current Esenin’s Study in China

RUSSIAN-AFRICAN COOPERATION: THE STATE AND BUSINESS by Еkaterina V. PUTINTSEVA, applicant, Institute for African Studies, RAS ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
In the article the positions of Russia on African markets are analyzed, the total trade volume of Russia and key players on the continent with African countries are compared, as well as the volume of investments, special-purpose programs developed to promote cooperation with African countries are mentioned. The article contains short review of the development of the Russian business support system helping Russian firms abroad, provides analysis of the roadmap «Support of access to foreign markets and export support», as well as analysis of reports by EXIAR and Russian export center (REC) concerning the frequency of projects implemented in African countries The conclusion is made about the importance of development of state business support system, particularly employing the methods of state-private partnership.
Keywords: Russia, Africa, investments, state-private partnership, business support, Russian export center, EXIAR, African business initiativ

INGOS IN THE EVENTS OF THE «ARAB SPRING» IN TUNISIA: ROLE, MECHANISMS OF INTERFERENCE, AND RESULTS by Aleksandra V. SHITOVA, post-graduate student, Institute for African Studies, RAS ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
The article aims to analyze the activities of International non-governmental organizations (INGOs) before, during and after the events of the “Arab spring” in Tunisia. It provides examples of the application of modern technologies to facilitate the change of the political regime.
Keywords: international non-governmental organization, the “Arab spring”, democratic transition, Tunisia

AFRICAN STUDENTS TRAINED IN THE USSR IN THE COLD WAR PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGNS, 1960 by Sergei V. MAZOV, Dr.Sc. (History), Institute of World History, RAS ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
The article explores the role of African students trained in the USSR in three Cold War propaganda campaigns of 1960. The adversaries employed black students to generate the sought-for image of the Soviet Union. The aim of Western and pro-Western African media was to present the USSR as a dangerous Wonderland that was not suitable for the life and education of black young people, as a colonial power with imperialist ambitions. Western propaganda was offensive, initiated information campaigns operated with real facts, spiced with fiction, resorted to disinformation. Soviet propaganda was of a reactive, counterpropagandistic nature, exposed the propaganda of the enemy, defamed its disseminators, tried to create a positive and attractive image of the USSR, embellishing the Soviet reality.
Keywords: African Students in the USSR, Cold War History, propaganda and counterpropaganda, the image of the USSR

URDU-SPEAKING DIASPORA AND IT’S LITERATURE IN THE FLOW OF TIMES by Ludmila A.VASILYEVA, PhD (Philology), Leading Research Fellow, Institute of Oriental Studies, RAS ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
There is a lacuna in studying the problems of one of the largest diasporas in the world, the Indo-Pakistani one, as concerns literature and culture. Nevertheless, the humanitarian aspects of the diaspora society are no less important and relevant than political and economic. The article deals with the Urdu-speaking part of the diaspora and its contribution to Urdu literature development as well as the diaspora members’ search for identity. The analysis is centered on short history of the diaspora, Urdu literary circles in western countries, main trends of Urdu literature development abroad and perspectives of Urdu language and literature in the West.
Keywords: Indo-Pakistani diaspora, language, emigration, hijrat, identity, Urdu literature, perspectives

“THE BLACK ROSE” OF THE PUNJAB by Anna A. SUVOROVA, Dr.Sc. (Philology), Head of Department, Institute of Oriental Studies, RAS ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
The article deals with the life and creative works of Amrita Pritam (1919-1995). She was an outstanding Indian writer and poet, who wrote in Punjabi. She is considered the first prominent woman Punjabi poet, novelist, and essayist, and the leading 20th-century poet of the Punjabi language, who is equally loved on both sides of the India-Pakistan border. With a career spanning over six decades, she produced over 100 books of poetry, fiction, essays, and an autobiography that were translated into several Indian and foreign languages. She is often referred to as “The Black Rose” of the Punjab according to the title of one of her poems.
Keywords: India, Pakistan, the Punjab, literature, women’s rights, Partition of India