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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United States Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is in Africa this week, his first visit to the continent as defense chief, in a trip that's aimed in part to push back against increased Chinese and Russian military influence in the region. ...
Challenging Pax Americana: The Commercial Imperative in Chinese Arms Exports To Africa – a Case Study of Uganda and Kenya
Professor Elijah N. Munyi from United States International University in Nairobi is a leading scholar in U.S.-Africa policy, with particular expertise in military relations. Professor Munyi published a working paper this week that coincided with his participation in the China-Africa Research Initiative's annual conference that ...
Remember When China Said It’s Going to Give Africa Access to Its C19 Vaccine? Well, There’s a Catch…
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday amended its promise to provide a future COVID-19 vaccine to developing countries with the introduction of the phrase "at a fair and reasonable price." Prior to this, there had been no mention of any cost. ...
Chinese Diplomats Are Promoting “Xi Jinping Thought” as a Model for African Development
China's Consul General in Cape Town, Lin Jing, is part of a growing number of Chinese diplomats in Africa who've been aggressively promoting the new book by Chinese President Xi Jinping that purportedly details China's successful development history.
Chinese National Bestowed With Honorary Chief Title in Ghana Says He Doesn’t Want it Anymore After Massive Uproar
A Chinese national, Sun Qiang, who was enstooled as a development chief, an honorary appointment with no authority, has now refused the title after widespread anger in the town of Kwahu Abetifi and across Ghana. A spokesperson for Sun ...
About That Chinese COVID-19 Vaccine…
Chinese officials from Xi Jinping down have been clear about their intention to make any future COVID-19 vaccine available to Africa and other developing regions. "China will make its COVID-19 vaccine a global public good when it is ready for application after successful research and ...
African Leaders Renew Calls for Urgent Debt Relief and Financial Assistance
Leaders from several of Africa's largest countries including South Africa, Kenya, and Ethiopia renewed their urgent appeals on Tuesday for debt relief, debt cancellation, and immediate financial assistance from the international community to help support economies across the continent ...
Tanzanian Official Publicly Mocks Kenya For Taking Huge Loans From China to Build the Standard Gauge Railway
A video of an unnamed Tanzanian official mocking Kenya for borrowing so much money from China to build the Standard Gauge Railway went viral in East Africa this week. "I do not want to mention ...
Zanzibar Opens New Chinese-Financed and Constructed International Airport Terminal
President Ali Mohamed Shein inaugured Zanzibar's new $129 million international terminal III, which was Chinese-funded and built. The hope is that this new facility will spur tourism that will generate the funds to repay the loans. Completion of ...
Who’s Next to Fall? Moody’s Points to Mozambique
In the wake of Zambia's default on a portion of its private creditor debt and the subsequent downgrade by international credit ratings agencies, investors are scanning the map to see which country will tumble next. According to the global ratings agency Moody's Investors Services, Mozambique is a ...
ICYMI: The 2020 CARI Conference is Now Available to Watch Online
If you haven't been able to sit in on the China-Africa Research Initiative's ongoing annual conference, the discussions are now available to view online. This year's conference focuses on China-Africa security relations and features a number of prominent scholars and analysts ...
Pity the Poor American Diplomat in Africa
Life is not getting any easier for the U.S. diplomats posted in Africa. Today's clown show, excuse me, "presidential debate," is certainly not going to make what seems like increasingly awkward and uncomfortable discussions with local stakeholders any easier. Fairly or ...