Anyone who knows a South African will be amply aware that the country is currently undergoing economically ruinous rolling blackouts labeled ‘loadshedding.’ Even if you don’t know them, South Africans are liable to follow you down the street, foam-flecked and shouting about Eskom, the corruption-addled state power utility.
The loadshedding scandal is rooted in corruption. It’s only the most visible part of a historical tragedy: how the ruling African National Congress ...
Day: January 12, 2023
Hannah Ryder on What to Expect This Year in China-Africa Relations
Qin Gang is carrying on a 33-year-old tradition by making Africa the first official visit of the new year for China's foreign minister. Qin took office just two weeks ago and is new to African affairs, so this week's five-nation tour ...
Qin Gang Kicks Off African Tour with AU Commission Strategic Dialogue
"Africa should be a big stage for the international cooperation, not an arena for major countries competition." This was the message from Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, speaking during a press conference with AU Commission head Moussa Faki Mahamat in Addis Ababa on Wednesday. ...
Symbolism Galore as Qin Gang Opens Africa CDC HQ
Qin Gang’s many photo-ops in Addis Ababa included the opening ceremony of the Chinese-built Africa Centers for Disease Control Headquarters building on Wednesday. This is the latest in a series of high-profile buildings for African multilateral and government bodies ...
Qin Gang’s First Foreign Visit as FM Busted Some Conventions
China has made it a 32-year custom that its Foreign Minister's first foreign trip of the year is always to Africa. However, this year Qin Gang broke this tradition by stopping en route in Dhaka for a brief meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart at the airport.
Fresh Data on How China Affects African Jobs
Job creation is one of the most important issues in Africa-China relations. Two fascinating recent research articles give different takes on how engagement with China affects African development. The first focuses on the controversial issue of the importation of Chinese workers ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
A Chinese Giant’s Complicity in South Africa’s Corruption Disaster
The Final Piece of China’s Central Asian BRI Puzzle Is In Place
A recent MoU between China and Turkmenistan means that the whole of Central Asia is now part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. This point was made during a briefing by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin. The symbolism of completing the Central Asian portion of ...