Author: Eric Olander
Eric Olander is the co-founder of the China Global South Project, an independent, non-partisan media initiative dedicated to exploring every facet of China’s engagement in Africa. Eric is a fluent Mandarin-speaker and a longtime China-watcher with more than 25 years of journalism experience at many of the world’s leading media companies, including CNN, the BBC, and FRANCE24, among others. He received his undergraduate degree in East African History from the University of California at Berkeley and holds a master’s degree in Chinese Public Affairs from the University of Hong Kong.
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Kenya’s Transport Minister Tours Almost-Finished Chinese-Built Nairobi Expressway, Promises Traffic Relief by Christmas
Kenya's Transportation Cabinet Secretary James Macharia led journalists on a tour of the nearly-completed Nairobi Expressway, one day after a small section of the road opened to motorists for the first time. Macharia said ...
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wants to Integrate the Port of Mombasa Into Overland Trade Routes in Asia
China's ambassador to Kenya, Zhou Pingjian, met on Friday with leaders from the Kenya Port Authority (KPA) to discuss further integration of the Port of Mombasa with the Belt and Road, specifically linking the port to the Gwadar Port in Pakistan that is at the center of ...
Biden-Tshisekedi Meet on Sidelines of G20
DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi met one-on-one with his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, on Friday in the run-up to the G20 summit that took place over the weekend in Rome. There's been a lot of interest in recent months
Why Some of the Most Interesting Discussions Surrounding FOCAC Won’t be in the Conference Hall
Anticipation is growing about the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation conference that is expected to take place at the end of the month in Dakar. While we still don't know what will be on the agenda, the official meeting of ministers is only a part of the ...
Rare Bike Collectors Take Note… South Sudan’s Got a Lot of Classics on the Streets
If you love classic Chinese bikes then you'll want to spend some time on the streets of South Sudan, where bikes like the Phoenix are apparently quite popular. The Phoenix, like the once immensely popular Flying Pigeon ...
Week in Review: Sudan Coup, Glasgow Climate Summit & G20 Debt Relief
This week Eric & Cobus discuss the Chinese response to the military coup in Sudan and how it differs from Beijing's reaction to September's coup in Guinea. Plus, Cobus explains why he's not optimistic about the outcomes for developing countries from ...
Week in Review: Sanctions, Supply Chains & Security
Three robbery-hijackings in a week have put South Africa's Chinese community on edge. The latest incident occurred last week in the Humewood area of Port Elizabeth where like the previous two incidents an ethnic Chinese driver was forced off the road and robbed at gunpoint. The assailants also ...
The Worst May Be Over For Embattled Chinese Mining Giant Sicomines
The Sino-Congolese mining company Sicomines, which has been under intense scrutiny for the past several months over its 2007 contract with the government, is now communicating with a sense of confidence that gives the impression its troubles with the authorities in Kinshasa may be over.
The Pressure is on the G20 to do Something… Anything… About Debt Relief at This Weekend’s Summit in Rome
Debt relief for the world's poorest countries will once again be a topic of discussion at yet another high-profile G20 gathering this weekend in Rome. Yet, there's good reason to doubt that little more will come out of this meeting than any of the ...
CARI Researchers Critique AidData’s Report on Chinese “Hidden Debt” in BRI Countries
AidData's landmark research report published last month, "Banking on the Belt and Road," generated tremendous media coverage around the world, particularly related to the report's finding that $385 billion in so-called "hidden debts" are owed to China. ...
With New Chinese Money Hard to Come By, Kenya’s Treasury Turns to the Bond Market to Finance Infrastructure
The Kenyan government is making preparations to float its largest-ever bond offering, a record $1.3 billion (Sh150 billion) issuance. It will be used to settle debts with contractors, possibly including some Chinese companies, and to fund road projects that are currently in development.
Chinese State Media: Blame the U.S. For the Coup in Sudan
Although the Chinese Foreign Ministry has been largely silent this week about the military coup in Sudan, the country's largest television broadcaster, CCTV (央视新闻), appears to be framing the story in a way that lays the blame for the collapse of the civilian government squarely at the ...