Senior Lecturer in the School of Built Environment and Development Studies, Dr Isaac Khambule participated in an international workshop on Nordic-Africa Relations in a Changing Global Order, in Helsinki, Finland.
The workshop launched a report on Re-imagining African-Nordic Relations in a Changing Global Order, published by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI); a joint project between the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA), NUPI, UKZN, the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), the Institute of Peace and Security Studies (IPSS), and International Global Dialogue (IGD).
The workshop was opened by Ms Elina Kalkku, Under-Secretary of State at Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs who is responsible for development policy, Africa, and the Middle East. Khambule reflected on his section in the report on Africa-Nordic Trade, Investment and Loans. He noted increased interest in trade with Africa as a result of bilateral and multilateral partnerships such as China-Africa, Turkey-Africa, Russia-Africa, and Nordic-Africa. Khambule also highlighted the need for new Nordic-Africa trade and investment strategies to promote structural transformation that supports Africa’s industrial needs.
The workshop was attended by various African embassies and coincided with the Nordic-Africa Summit in Helsinki. The closing session was presided over by the Foreign Minister of Norway, Ms Anniken Huitfeldt.
The report can be accessed at: https://www.nupi.no/en/publications/cristin-pub/re-imagining-african-nordic-relations-in-a-changing-global-order
Dr Khambule is currently based at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) University, where he is teaching Development Economics under the auspices of the long-standing Erasmus Mobility Programme between UKZN and FAU University.