Human Security Implications of Foreign Military Bases in Djibouti

The principles of sovereignty and non-interference have historically shaped China's foreign policy, serving as fundamental tenets to safeguard the nation from external interventions, particularly during and after the Cold War. However, in recent times, there has been a noticeable shift in China's foreign policy as it embarks on an unprecedented expansion of its military presence beyond its borders. This shift is exemplified by the establishment of a permanent military base in Djibouti, situated in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, which China refers to as "support facilities" or "logistical facilities." This marks China's inaugural venture into maintaining a permanent military presence outside its territorial boundaries. This study delves into the motivations behind China's adjusted foreign policy stance and examines the implications of this new approach on human security. While acknowledging the critical human insecurity implications associated with China's military presence in Djibouti, the analysis reveals a multifaceted strategy encompassing economic, political, ideological, and security interests. This strategic move positions China as a significant global player, shaping its role on the world stage

Xenophobia In South Africa and the Realities of Actualizing SDG 8

This study dwells on xenophobia and the realities of actualizing the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) eight in South Africa. It argues that since the emergence of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000, which transited to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, there has been a proliferation of literature from scholars of diverse disciplinary orientations. However, none of these studies deal with the phenomenon of xenophobia as a milestone for the attainment of the SDGs in South Africa. This paper, therefore, serves as an intervention to discuss how xenophobia affects the realization/ actualization of the UN’s SDG eight in the area under consideration. Using extant literature and the rational choice theory, it affirms that without peace and partnership with other countries, it would be very difficult for South Africa to attain the UN SDGs it envisages to achieve. To be focused and in-depth in the analysis of the phenomena under consideration the study centers exclusively on the UN SDG eight (even though there are seventeen SDGs of the UN) which hinges on decent work and economic growth. The evidence thrown up led to the major conclusion that the persistent xenophobic attacks and the resultant massive destruction of lives and businesses of foreigners, South Africa’s quest for the full-fledged realization of United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal eight would remain mere paperwork. Given the increasing prevalence of xenophobic attacks in the study area, the paper suggests, among others, the building of meaningful, lasting, and effective partnerships. This entails that xenophobia in the country will be nipped in the bud

Human Security Implications of Foreign Military Bases in Djibouti

The principles of sovereignty and non-interference have historically shaped China's foreign policy, serving as fundamental tenets to safeguard the nation from external interventions, particularly during and after the Cold War. However, in recent times, there has been a noticeable shift in China's foreign policy as it embarks on an unprecedented expansion of its military presence beyond its borders. This shift is exemplified by the establishment of a permanent military base in Djibouti, situated in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, which China refers to as "support facilities" or "logistical facilities." This marks China's inaugural venture into maintaining a permanent military presence outside its territorial boundaries. This study delves into the motivations behind China's adjusted foreign policy stance and examines the implications of this new approach on human security. While acknowledging the critical human insecurity implications associated with China's military presence in Djibouti, the analysis reveals a multifaceted strategy encompassing economic, political, ideological, and security interests. This strategic move positions China as a significant global player, shaping its role on the world stage

Xenophobia In South Africa and the Realities of Actualizing SDG 8

This study dwells on xenophobia and the realities of actualizing the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) eight in South Africa. It argues that since the emergence of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000, which transited to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, there has been a proliferation of literature from scholars of diverse disciplinary orientations. However, none of these studies deal with the phenomenon of xenophobia as a milestone for the attainment of the SDGs in South Africa. This paper, therefore, serves as an intervention to discuss how xenophobia affects the realization/ actualization of the UN’s SDG eight in the area under consideration. Using extant literature and the rational choice theory, it affirms that without peace and partnership with other countries, it would be very difficult for South Africa to attain the UN SDGs it envisages to achieve. To be focused and in-depth in the analysis of the phenomena under consideration the study centers exclusively on the UN SDG eight (even though there are seventeen SDGs of the UN) which hinges on decent work and economic growth. The evidence thrown up led to the major conclusion that the persistent xenophobic attacks and the resultant massive destruction of lives and businesses of foreigners, South Africa’s quest for the full-fledged realization of United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal eight would remain mere paperwork. Given the increasing prevalence of xenophobic attacks in the study area, the paper suggests, among others, the building of meaningful, lasting, and effective partnerships. This entails that xenophobia in the country will be nipped in the bud

Oil Economy and Society of Nigeria’s Niger Delta Region, 1956-2019

This paper studies the oil economy with a particular focus on the Nigeria’s Niger Delta Region. It argues that since the discovery and exploration of oil in commercial quantities in the Region, it has become both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because it has provided wealth to the people and government of the region. Some indigenes of the Nigeria Delta are owners of the oil wells others are employed to work with the oil multi-national companies like Chevron, Texaco, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Agip Oil Company, et cetera.  The exploration of oil in the area under review is also a curse because it has negatively affected plants and animals (that is the destruction of flora and fauna); it has destroyed the ecosystem of the area.  Using survey and documentary methods of data collection; the paper reveals that despite the discovery and exploration of oil in the said region, Nigeria’s Delta Region has remained one of the underdeveloped regions of the country. This is to say that the impact of the oil industry on the economy and society of the people is marginally felt. Based on the foregoing, these policy options are made. The government should give immediate attention to the indigenes of the region where crude oil is being extracted from. This will reduce the unrest in that region. The government should establish an institution that will ensure that the multinational oil companies are socially responsible to their host communities. Environmental pollution and the adverse effects on the host communities of oil exploration sites in the Niger Delta is an important issue that requires urgent and prompt attention because petroleum production forms the major natural-based resources on which the country depends. Therefore, Policymakers of the various oil exploration companies should realize that there is a need to protect the health, safety, and welfare of these communities. The communities and the inhabitants have to be well protected and some of the health and safety measures, which members of the company staff benefit, should be extended to members of the host communities to improve their standard of living

A Critical Appraisal of the Peer Review Performance of the SDGs in Nigeria and Ghana (2015-2019)

As a global poverty alleviation mechanism, the Millennium Development Goals MDGs global performance was considered average. Although, the project's performance with certain of its goals on country to country were great when taking cognizance of its global record. But its achievements differed from country to country and could not hit the main target of ensuring no one is left behind. It therefore failed in the achievement of its very goal of lifting the people all over the world from the scourge of poverty. This birthed the Ssustainable Development Goals whose primary goal is to zero poverty by 2030 and other targets that would ensure political, economic and social wholeness of people. Almost five years now into the new project of the SDGs, an important question to be asked is can the project meet up with the 2030 Agenda in the continent of Africa especially in both countries of study Nigeria and Ghana. Another important question is “Who the right partners for the project are; such partners that would ensure that no one person is left behind at the end of 2030?  What mechanisms have they put in place to ensure that the goals are met by the end of 2030; the supposed target for the end of the project?”  These are some of the questions highlighted in this piece, which serve as guide for a study into the ongoing project of the SDGs in Nigeria and Ghana

Assessment of the Socio Economic and Political Implications of ECOWAS Free Movement

This paper examines the extent the ECOWAS free movement protocol of persons, goods and services contributes to the economic and political growth of Nigeria which is an active member state. The protocol on free movement is often hijacked by criminals from some member states, neighbors and within to perpetrate trans-border crimes such as smuggling of arms, drugs and other forms of crimes. Political development is the heart beat of other development in any country. This is because power rest in political sphere and it is through power that other development such as economic development rest. The system of government in place, the ideals of the government and the stability of the government determine the profitable, societal plus cultural improvement of the nation. The role plays by civil societies, mass media and some section of activists toward the return to democracy in Nigeria are more appreciated and noticeable than that of ECOWAS. This indicates that there is always romance between ECOWAS and West African dictators especially in Nigeria. This unholy relationship might not be far from the fact that most leaders under ECOWAS are once dictators who benefited from the silence of the community or the leaders are mute considering the benefit their individual states get from dictators in Nigeria. The study primarily adopted the desk research design which involves the use of secondary source of data. The analyses of the data were carried out using content analysis. The study revealed that the performance of ECOWAS were undermined by various factors such as lack of political will, fear and mutual distrust, cultural and colonial differences among others. These factors inhibited the full actualization of the protocol among member states. The study concluded that Nigerian government should evaluate her activities in ECOWAS and should ensure that member states contribute their quota to the community as enshrine in the treaty.

Stochastic Optimal Shared Control with Non-Gaussian Processes

In this paper, we propose an approach for shared control of a planar quadrotor that allows for non-Gaussian disturbance in the model and non-Gaussian variation in the pilot\u27s control actions. We do this by constructing empirical characteristic functions for the state, inputs, and disturbance using demonstrations by a human expert. These are then used to make predictions of future states and of the system disturbance, using the first and second moments of the empirical characteristic function to estimate the mean and variance of these processes. With this method, we can extend assumptions from additive white Gaussian noise to any real-valued disturbance for a system with a quadratic cost. The proposed method is shown to properly find a control scheme and maintain system performance with a generalized disturbance model

Appunti di agricoltura benadiriana : relazione / del dottore Romolo Onor, consulente per le opere agrarie del governo della Somalia italiana

Appunti di agricoltura benadiriana : relazione / del dottore Romolo Onor, consulente per le opere agrarie del governo della Somalia italiana Roma : Tip. nazionale di G. Bertero e C., 1913 62 p., [13] carte di tav. : ill. ; 25 cm In testa al front.: Ministero delle colonie, Direzione centrale degli affari coloniali, Ufficio di studi coloniali Estratto dalla Relazione di s. e. il Governatore della Somalia italiana per gli anni 1911 e 1912 (Atti parlamentari, Legislatura 23., Sessione 1909-912, Camera dei deputati, n. 38 ter