China and India’s Health Diplomacy in Africa during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

So-called health diplomacy has become a fundamental element in contemporary International Relations, especially in the context of world health crises such as the global COVID-19 pandemic. Countries like China and India have stood out in this field through their South-South Cooperation (SSC) activities, together with countries of the Global South. This article seeks to compare the health diplomacy conducted by China and India in Africa within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our guiding question is: How have these countries employed International Development Cooperation (IDC) policies in this region to fight the pandemic? To answer this, we have analyzed how the IDC practices of these countries are related to their geopolitical and economic interests in the region. The results indicate that China stands out in terms of its vaccine donations, hospital supplies, and equipment, in addition to financial cooperation such as debt relief. India, meanwhile, stands out in terms of financial cooperation, based on sharing telecommunication technologies and tele-consulting, in addition to supplying vaccines, medication, and hospital equipment.