Month: May 2020
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CGTN Creates New Facebook Page to Promote Ongoing Chinese COVID-19 Medical Mission to Algeria
China's international television network CGTN is experimenting with new ways to promote China's COVID-19 medical deployment in Africa. The mission that's now underway in Algeria, with 20 medical professionals who will be there for two weeks, is being covered at every stage of the ...
In Xi-Ramaphosa Call the Chinese President Gently Reminds His South African Counterpart About Taiwan and Beijing’s “Core Interests”
Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone on Friday with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa. The bulk of the discussion, according to a summary published by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was what one would expect:
There’s an Interesting Debate Underway Among Scholars Over Whether China is Hiding Its Overseas Lending
A discussion over the extent of China's "hidden loans" in Africa and other developing regions has been bubbling all spring in Washington's think tank and scholarly circles. It all started back in late March when the Wall Street Journal published an article featuring
Kenya’s Dilemma: If It Wants G20 Relief Then It Can’t Issue More Bonds or Take out More Loans. So How Does It Close a Gaping Budget Deficit?
Kenya, and likely many other African countries, is in a bit of a pinch right now: it desperately needs to raise money to close an estimated $7.7 billion budget deficit. But if the Treasury wants to remain qualified for G20 debt relief then it can't go out ...
Chinese NGOs in Africa are New and Making Some Mistakes but They’re Learning Fast
“Chinese embassy staffs in local countries said we are a non-governmental organization and won’t help us with anything, while many local NGOs and journalists see us as some kind of ‘Chinese government propaganda’ and they’re very rude towards us. It’s so difficult,” said Ms. Zhang, a 50-year-old ...
Time is Running Out For African Debt Relief
It must be weird for African finance ministry officials to watch how large governments around the world have moved with unprecedented speed to pass trillions and trillions of dollars in emergency relief aid to bolster their own economies. Even the completely dysfunctional U.S. Congress that passes fewer ...
How China’s Technology Startups Are Scaling Across Africa
Computer Village in Lagos, Nigeria is a curious combination of old and new. Dirt roads are lined by hundreds of kiosks featuring the latest mobile phones and computers. Hawkers and criers call out deals at the entrance to both bric-a-brac sheet ...
Chinese Technology and Financing Gives a Boost to Malawi’s Small-Scale Cotton Farmers
John Chikwenga, 44, of Mululu village in Balaka district in eastern Malawi thought his eyes were deceiving him when he saw his prize: a brand new tractor. He had suffered years of backache and sore muscles from tilling his fields with a hoe. ...
The Complicated Politics of Chinese Dam Construction in Guinea
The 450-megawatt Souapiti hydroelectric dam in Guinea is scheduled to begin operating this fall and will bring badly-needed electricity to one of Africa’s poorest countries. The dam is one of dozens of similar hydroelectric power ...
Wang Yi Works the Phones With African Foreign Ministers
In another sign that Beijing is paying more attention to COVID-19 in Africa, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi appears to be increasing the frequency of his outreach to his African counterparts. This week alone he held two phone conferences with ministers from Angola and Ethiopia.
This Chart Shows What African Union and UN Negotiators Are Desperately Trying to Avoid
Interest rates on Zambian 10-year bonds have more than doubled since January to an astonishing 38%. So, it's not surprising there's growing speculation that Lusaka will have no choice but to default on its $3 billion of bond holdings. ...
Al Jazeera: African Countries Turn to China for Debt Relief
Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Adow reports from Nairobi on how rapidly deteriorating economic conditions in East Africa due to the worsening COVID-19 outbreak is prompting more governments in the region to look to China for help... at least in terms of repaying their debts.