The Great Game is afloat: Africa and Indian Ocean geopolitics

While Africa relies on maritime security for trade, Indian Ocean geopolitics foretells rising insecurity at sea.

African states and organisations must pay careful attention to the Indo-Pacific concept and how it is being applied in practice. The concept has increased in popularity as a lens through which to approach worldwide policymaking and strategic thinking. It should be viewed against the backdrop of increasingly competitive global power shifts that could have significant geopolitical implications in the Indian Ocean region. African countries must ensure that their concerns and interests are not marginalised.

About the author

Dr Leaza Jernberg has a PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand and an MPhil in international relations from the University of Cambridge. She has previously worked at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and has lectured at the University of the Witwatersrand. She is currently an independent researcher and analyst. 

Image: © U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Bellino/Flickr