Western analysis on “foreign” influence in Africa is usually focused on, even obsessed with, the presence of China, which is understood as the West’s main rival. This said China is only one player albeit an important one in Africa. Usually overlooked by Western analysts is the role of Middle Eastern countries in Africa. Arab, Persian and Ottoman Turkish presence in the region precedes Chinese and in some cases even European presence in Africa. But there is also another aspect in international relations when it comes to Africa: the fact that African countries choose their partners carefully and do not lack understanding of the strategic consequences of their choices, this holds true for the Horn of Africa and its vicinity as well as for Western Africa.

Welcome: Georg Lennkh, Bruno Kreisky Forum Board Member,
Framing:  Walter Posch, Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management (IFK)

Hassan Ahmadian, University of Tehran, Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Roland Marchal, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique CNRS, Paris
Galip Dalay, Sharq Forum, Istanbul
Annette Weber, Senior Fellow at Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik SWP, Berlin
Sandrine Perrot, Institut d’Etudes Politiques Sciences Po, Paris (tbc)

Moderator: Gudrun Harrer, Senior Editor, Der Standard; Lecturer on Modern History and Politics of the Middle East, University of Vienna and Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

In Cooperation with the Directorate for Security Policy, Federal Ministry of Defense, Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management (IFK) and the Al Sharq Forum, Istanbul