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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Nigeria's once-thriving textile sector is now fast disappearing due largely to competition from Chinese imports. But don't blame the Chinese, said Mansur Ahmed, president of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, who puts a lot of the responsibility for the industry's demise squarely at the ...
Fake… Pathetic… Losers… Liars… All in a Single Raging Chinese Diplomatic Tweet
The Chinese embassy in Zimbabwe has proved yet again how easy it is to provoke them into a furious froth on Twitter. The embassy took aim at well-known Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono who re-tweeted a truly mediocre article by ...
Hichilema May Find Out Getting Elected Was the Easy Part, Fixing Zambia’s Debt-Ridden Economy Will Be a Lot Harder
A peaceful transfer of power took place in Lusaka on Tuesday when opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema (photo) became Zambia's seventh president in the post-colonial era. President Hichilema made clear right from the start that the economy, specifically reducing the country's heavy debt load, will be ...
African Oil Exports to China Plunge in July
China's crude oil imports from Africa fell sharply last month with demand expected to remain flat through the third quarter. Overall, shipments from African exporting countries fell 5.1% from June and but plummeted 41.5% compared to the same time last year. ...
Ethiopia Moves to Restructure SOE Debt, No Word Though On China Loans
The Ethiopian Ministry of Finance (MOF) is bundling together the debts of six of its largest state-owned enterprises and will transfer the liability for these debts from the firms to the MOF itself. No mention, though, was made at
China Begins to Distribute More Vaccines Beyond MENA to Sub-Saharan African Countries
China shipped 1.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to African countries last week, with total deliveries across the continent now at 53.9 million, according to the latest Vaccine Tracker Report data from the Beijing-based health advisory firm Bridge Consulting.
WeChat Currency Scams Are Widespread Within the Chinese Expat Population in Africa
Last week we told you about how Chinese expatriates in Ghana were getting scammed by fraudsters posing as currency exchange dealers on WeChat. Now, victims of similar schemes from the Chinese diaspora in other African countries are gathering on various WeChat forums to share how ...
Ethiopia Seeks to Follow China’s Example By Creating Its Own Social Media Apps as Alternatives to Facebook and Twitter
China's nationalist model of cyber sovereignty received another endorsement in Africa on Monday when Ethiopian officials unveiled new ambitions to "replace" U.S.-made social media and communications apps with local versions that can be regulated and censored.
Nigeria-Based, Chinese-Backed Mobile Money Platform OPay Raises $400 Million From Softbank-Led Round
The Nigeria-based, Chinese-owned mobile payment platform OPay closed its latest funding round with $400 million of new investment in a deal that values the company at an impressive $2 billion. This latest fundraising round marks was led by Japanese ...
Tshisekedi Keeps Promise to Re-Negotiate Foreign Mining Contracts, Launches Investigation Into China Moly
DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi is following through with his promise to review all foreign mining contracts, mostly with Chinese companies, to evaluate whether the deals that were struck during his predecessor's tenure are equitable.
Sino-Congolese Mining Venture Sicomines Launches Conveniently Timed Social Development Program
The Sino-Congolese mining company Sicomines held a signing ceremony on Saturday for one of its largest community development initiatives in the joint venture's 14-year history. The company will spend almost $12 million to upgrade the infrastructure and provide development assistance to local communities around its ...
Congolese Governor Orders Suspension of Six Chinese Mining Companies in South Kivu Over Environmental Violations
Théo Ngwabidje Kasi (photo), governor of South Kivu province in the Eastern DR Congo, ordered six Chinese-owned mining companies to suspend operations in a bid to "restore order" after weeks of mounting tensions between the companies and the community. Three Congolese companies were also ...