Despite Africa’s pivotal historical phase of decolonization and independence, many Gulf decision-makers remain unaware of the continent’s internal dynamics, particularly its social, intellectual, and psychological dimensions, shaped by ethnic, regional, religious, racial, and linguistic diversity. The Gulf public, for the most part, has encountered Africa through non-African intermediaries who perpetuate misrepresentations of African realities. These externally driven narratives, often disseminated through literature and media, have led Gulf audiences to adopt perspectives misaligned with the continent’s actual conditions. This misalignment has resulted in diplomatic strategies that risk entrenching historical misconceptions, requiring urgent reevaluation and recalibration.
A comparative political analysis reveals that East Africa’s delicate political scene, often misinterpreted in Gulf discourses, cannot be equated with the seemingly stable — yet structurally fragile — political environment of West Africa. Beneath West Africa’s surface-level stability lies deep-seated political deterioration and nuanced violence, often hidden in the spheres of political bargaining and contestations over national sovereignty. While countries in the Horn of Africa struggle to overcome ethnic and tribal divisions, parts of West Africa have moved beyond these issues and are grappling with the enduring legacy of colonial constraints perceived as barriers to socioeconomic progress. Similar dynamics can be observed across southern and central African regions.
Excerpt from: Gulf–Africa Relations:
A Forward-Looking Vision for the 21st Century
Dr.Ameena Alarimi
an Emirati researcher specializing in African affairs
