The United States of America, after the fall of the Berlin wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, remains the world’s only superpower. Some argue that though America’s authority over the world is very clear, the Superpower’s influence is gradually on the wane.
There has been a consistent debate going on for a while between Political analysts and intellects about this hypothesis. President Obama has come under a lot of fire from his Republicans opponents on this issue. Their argument is that President Obama’s deep-rooted foreign policy predicament is that he believes The United States is a fading power and all that is left for America to do is to “administer the decline”.
The United State’s influence is declining due to a few reasons; the first is as a result of “the ascend of the rest”. Countries like China and India are developing as regional sources of power with progressively more international reach. Because of this, America’s power is declining in a virtual sagacity. The second is that, the overwhelming economic gap that the U.S had over the years over Western Europe and East Asia is steadily becoming narrow.
But not to be so ominous, there is also a positive side to the decline of America’s power. According to an article published on latimes.com, the late U.S President Ronald Reagan recognized that, “a decline in relative American power is a good thing, not a bad thing — if America can turn rising states into solid allies.” Let’s not forget that America still has the world's most formidable military machine in the history of man. Countries like China and India’s rapid economic growth is what the world needs as the world’s leading problems (Political, social and economic), can not be dealt with by the U.S alone.
India is a Country that has marveled the world for years. According Wikipedia.org, The economy of India is the seventh-largest in the world by nominal GDP and the third largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). A member of the BRIC economies and one of the G-20 major economies, India has moved from a mixed economy that pooled features of capitalism and socialism to a more liberalized and free-market structure to international trade. This has resulted in its economy, going at around 6.3% for the 2013–14 fiscal year.
Economists predict that India's economy is likely to grow by 7.5% or 8% a year for the next two decades or more, becoming in time the world's third or second largest economy. Political Analysts further predict that the 21st Century will likely present the world, three superpowers: the US, China and India. No State in Asia is without doubt and unavoidably a strategic competitor with China than is India.
As India’s successes are vast, so are its problems. According to Wikipedia.org, while India's poverty dropped from 42% of its total population in 2005 to about 33% in 2010, 34 percent of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day, in rural India. The Indian government in 2005 endorsed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, promising 100 days of minimum wage employment to every rural household in all the districts of India. While this move by the government was noble and astute, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee programme in 2011 was widely disapproved of, as no more effective than other poverty reduction programs in India.
Talking about Poverty brings to my mind, the continent of Africa. Not to be confrontational, it is my opinion that, the western media has in a ways succeeded in labeling African people as impoverished and struggling politically. Many young Africans are appalled by this kind of
reportage about their various countries. Yes, some of the reports are true like the devastating affects of climate change on the continent and how it is aiding to food shortage in many African countries, like the rise of jihadist militants like Boko Haram and Al Shabab in countries like Nigeria and Somalia that are affiliated with ISIS and Al Qaeda.etc.
It’s true that the world needs to know about these stories so it can assist the continent tackle all these pressing issues. But the media’s lazy and pessimistic reportage of African issues makes a lot Africans question whether some sort of psychosomatic war is being waged on the African people to make them abhor themselves and their heritage. Enough said, there are some media outlets that now have programmes specifically designed to hold positive news stories in Africa. A media outlet in Britain runs “African Dream”, a series about successful African entrepreneurs and another news network in the United States has “African Voices, Marketplace Africa and African start-ups.”
The African continent is doing better that ever before. According to Wikipedia.org, there has been an increase in political stability and most African countries are experiencing fast economic growth since 2007. The World Bank reports the economy of Sub-Saharan African countries grew at rates that match or surpass global rates. Top African nations that did well in 2011 include Mauritania with growth at 19.8%, Angola at 17.6%, Mozambique at 7.9% and Malawi at 7.8%. And in 2012, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and Rwanda were also impressive.
In 2011, Sub-Saharan economic growth was 4.8%. Reports predicts that the African economy, with massive expansion in trade, improvement in education (English language widely official in many Sub-Saharan countries), availability of fine resources and cheaper work force, is expected to steadily perform better annually.
Africa-India relation is much stronger than ever. Reports say that in November 2012, FICCI President led a business delegation to Ethiopia to meet the new Prime Minister and re-endorse India's obligation to the growth and development of Africa.
Collaboration between these two giants will definitely boost the efforts in tackling the socio-economic issues facing both India and African nations. India and Africa can join forces to co-create a brighter and an improved future in many areas, one is;
Education
According to Wikipedia.org, the word "education" is consequent from the Latin ēducātiō (“A breeding, a bringing up, a rearing") from ēdūcō. (“I educate, I train”) Education is very significant. People’s right to education has been fashioned and acknowledged by many authorities all over the globe. The United Nations' International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966 endorses the right to education under its Article 13. Due to the challenging nature of civilization, it is both prudent and vital that citizens of the world, (especially in developing nations like India and Africa) seek higher education for their intellectual, scientific and economic growth.
By learning, individuals are empowered with knowledge and skills to better their lives. A strong educational background can beat poverty. Education in developing countries is the leading global concern as there are many barriers preventing students from getting the education they need.
There are many ways in which India and African Countries can work in partnership;
Educational Exchange Programs among Indian and African Students
Promoting educational interactions among India-Africa students is one of the best strategies to deal with the challenges both parties face when it comes to education. Stakeholders and leaders from both sides can organize educational seminars, discussion groups, cultural exchange exercises and Competitions twice or three times a year, to allow students to bond, share ideas, interact and compete among one another. This will go a long way to decipher misconceptions, myths and delusional perceptions that students have on local and global issues. They will also get the platform to voice out their concerns, thoughts and aspirations.
By Promoting the essence of Information Technology in Education
Information and Communication Technology is the future. India has achieved a lot tremendously, when it comes to that sector. With an India-Africa partnership in place, India can assist and impact Africa with her achievements in the field to make education in various African countries more accessible, more up-to-the-minute and more innovative.
By promoting the culture of Autodidacticism among Students
Autodidacticism is self-directed learning that is related to but different from informal learning, In other words, "learning on your own" or "by yourself". Leaders in various educational institutions in both India and Africa can advocate this mode of education among students. Students must be made to understand that excelling in only academics doesn’t guarantee one’s road to becoming successful and impactful in the 21st century.
By forming habits of becoming autodidacts, students will not only do extremely well with academic work but they will also become enlightened in other fields of interest and study. This will very much assist in their intellectual growth, resulting in a pool of quality human resource for their various nations.
Girl Child Education
Women are the Pillars as well as the backbones of society. An educated woman given the right opportunity can really make a huge difference. Because of certain religious and traditional values, women in developing countries (India and African included) have not benefited a lot from modern and formal education. Government Bodies in both India and Africa have recognized this problem and some measures are being taken constantly, to address it.
Gender equality advocates and non-profits organizations in India and Africa can team up and bring awareness on how significant and beneficial female literacy is to national development. The populace must be educated that discrimination against the girl child is a crime against humanity and a huge deterrent to the socio-economic development of any nation.
Finally
The 21 Century looks promising and the stakes are higher than ever before. It is now more imperative that developing nations join forces. Developing nations need to reform their educational compositions to fit these times; for example, African Universities and Institutions must set-up Faculties or Departments of European and American Studies up to PhD levels to really identify with how, the “European and American frame of mind” functions. This will assist in understanding why certain mistakes were made by previous generations, so they are not repeated.
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