Author: C. Geraud Neema
C. Géraud Neema Byamungu is an analyst and observer of China-Africa relations who graduated from Renmin University of China and has a master’s degree in International Development from the International University of Japan. In addition to his role at CGSP, Géraud is also a non-resident scholar in the Africa program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C. Previously, he worked as a project manager for a small Congolese mining company in DRC and later as a consultant on good governance and policy advocacy for the “Centre d’Etudes pour l’Action Social.”
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A Display of Power, Not Partnership, in Washington
This is a is a long overdue column that I intended to write back in March after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa left Washington after that now infamous joint press conference in the Oval Office where he was ambushed by U.S. President Donald Trump for challenging the ...
US President Donald Trump (3rd L) participates in a multilateral lunch with visiting African Leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 9, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)
This is a is a long overdue column that I intended to write back in March after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa left Washington after that now infamous joint press conference in the Oval Office where he was ambushed by U.S. President Donald Trump for challenging the narrative of his host. ...
Will China’s Trade Strategy in Africa Succeed Where Europe’s Didn’t?
At a recent ministerial meeting in the central Chinese city of Changsha, Beijing announced an ambitious new phase of its engagement with Africa: the possibility of eliminating customs duties on exports from all 53 African countries (except for Eswatini, which maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan). While many ...
China’s New Mediation Body Courts the Global South on Dispute Resolution
A couple of weeks ago in Hong Kong, China quietly inaugurated the International Organization for Mediation (IoM), marking what may become a significant shift in global dispute resolution. Thirty-two countries from Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe attended the launch, underscoring Beijing’s ambition to build a ...
Canadian, Chinese Companies at Odds Over Impact of Seismic Activity on Congo Copper Mine
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Kamoa-Kakula copper mine, co-owned by China's Zijin Mining and Canada's Ivanhoe Mines, is at the center of a dispute following seismic activity that has temporarily halted underground operations. Zijin Mining reported multiple instances of roof falls ...
China’s CMOC Group and Glencore Differ Over DR Congo’s Cobalt Export Ban
The Democratic Republic of Congo, the world’s leading producer of cobalt, has imposed a four-month ban on cobalt exports in an effort to curb market oversupply and stabilize falling prices. But the move has ignited a conflict between two of the country’s largest mining companies: China’s CMOC ...
With Chinese Backing, Cameroon Opens Second Phase of Kribi Deep-Sea Port
Cameroon opened the second phase of its Kribi deep-sea port earlier this month, marking a major step in the country’s efforts to strengthen its logistics infrastructure and expand its role in regional trade. The government completed the $650 million ...
With Chinese Backing, Cameroon Opens Second Phase of Kribi Deep-Sea Port
Cameroon opened the second phase of its Kribi deep-sea port earlier this month, marking a major step in the country’s efforts to strengthen its logistics infrastructure and expand its role in regional trade. The government completed the $650 million ...
Zambia’s Kafue River Disaster Puts China’s Mining Record Under Fire
In February, a tailings dam at a Chinese-owned mine in Zambia collapsed, releasing 50 million liters of acid waste into the Kafue River—a critical water source for millions. The spill sparked national outrage and raised urgent questions about environmental oversight, ...
Burkina Faso: A New Chinese “Prince” Emerges Close to Junta Leader
As Burkina Faso’s military government reshapes its alliances in the face of a growing jihadist threat, a little-known but influential Chinese businessman has quietly risen to the center of the country’s war economy: Li Yubao. Operating in Burkina Faso ...
China Eyes Strategic Role in Kenya’s Port Privatization Plans
As Kenya revives plans to privatize the management of its key ports in Mombasa and Lamu through public-private partnerships, China is quietly positioning itself for a larger role in the country’s maritime infrastructure. The China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), ...
Stanbic Bank Kenya Unveils New Measures to Boost Trade With China
Stanbic Bank Kenya, a subsidiary of Standard Bank — Africa's largest bank by assets, announced a series of initiatives aimed at fostering closer commercial ties between Kenya and China. Among the key announcements at the Chinese Economic Forum held ...
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) on the Chopping Block: Can China Save It Again?
General Michael Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), is set to make his appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee this week in the annual appropriations ritual. Normally, these are rather mundane affairs, where Generals ask lawmakers for more money. ...
Trump Returns, But His Africa Policy Remains a Question Mark
The cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom in Washington, D.C., but inside the Beltway, there’s little sign of renewal—only a thick fog of uncertainty. After a brief return to D.C., I found a city still reeling from the shock of the Trump administration’s return to power and ...