Last June 11th, a great International Relations scholar and African studies expert passed away. Francis Kornegay, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD), was a talented professor and insightful academic. The Brazilian Centre for African Studies was lucky to have him as one of our researchers. Kornegay co-wrote “South Africa and IBSA: Challenges to Human Security” (available for download from our library), edited by UFRGS and translated and published by CEBRAFRICA (in partnership with the Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation). He also was an alumnus of the Woodrow Wilson International Center of Scholars and member of the international editorial advisory board of the Journal of the Indian Ocean Region. Before joining the IGD, he was a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Policy Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, contributing research on Africa’s policies, governance and democratisation processes. Before residing in South Africa, Kornegay served twice as a professional staffer in the U.S. Congress, helping establish the Research and Evaluation Office in the African Development Foundation and was an editor at the African Bibliographic Center. He is a past director of the South African office of the African-American Institute, where he was also involved in electoral support activities. Having completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, he obtained two masters degrees on International Public Policy from the School of Advanced International Studies, John Hopkins and in African Studies from Howard University. He has also published extensively on wide-ranging subject areas such as South-South cooperation, the rise of emerging powers, maritime security, the Indian Ocean Rim, the Indo-Pacific, Global Africa and the role of the diaspora, regional integration and Africa’s role in a changing geopolitical landscape. His articles and books were vastly cited and will continue to inspire and substantiate our analysis of Africa.