When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...
Day: February 23, 2023
Related Posts
What’s the Strategy Behind South Africa’s Joint Naval Exercises With China and Russia?
South Africa’s joint naval exercises with China and Russia are drawing sharp criticism domestically and from Western allies. Beyond questions about the symbolism of its timing - overlapping with the one-year anniversary of the Ukraine invasion - many are baffled as to why SA is participating ...
Pentagon Not Happy About South African Naval Exercises But Won’t Admit It Publicly
The United States military is staying largely quiet over the ongoing joint naval exercises in South Africa that include Russia and China. Earlier, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs Chidi Blyden said the U.S. respects South Africa's ...
Major Powers Express Ambivalence Going Into This Weekend’s Critical G20 Debt Relief Talks in Bangalore
As major powers head into this week’s G20 talks on debt restructuring, the mood is grim. The outcome of the talks will be decisive for Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process and will have a direct bearing on talks affecting Zambia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ecuador and ...
Sharply Contrasting Views on Whether China is Right to Demand Multilateral Development Banks to Take Losses on Their Loans
The dispute between China and Western lenders about how Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) should take part in debt restructuring goes beyond current U.S.-China tensions. Rather, it relates to the fundamental question of how to fund development, rooted in much broader differences ...
DR Congo Buys Nine Chinese Attack Drones for Use in War Against M23 Rebels
The Congolese government is stepping up the fight against M23 rebels with the purchase of nine Chinese CH-4 attack drones, according to a report in Africa Intelligence. The first batch of three drones will be delivered next month, with ...
What is Xi Jinping’s Global Security Initiative? New Government Document Gives Clues
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the Global Security Initiative in 2022, but since then, the initiative has raised more questions than answers. Now, a new concept paper has been put out by the Chinese government, which adds detail on both the GSI's broad principles and some concrete ...