Africa and China's Development Banks

The Bretton Woods Project published in April 2016 a short paper titled "China Goes Global with Development Banks" by Rohini Kamal and Keven P. Gallagher of Boston University.

The paper looks at the impact of China's massive increase in development finance for developing countries, arguing that it provides a useful alternative to Western-dominated institutions. 

Russia, Africa and the Media

Pambazuka News published on 2 March 2016 a commentary titled "Media as Missing Link in Russia-Africa Relations" by Kester Kenn Klomegah, independent writer on Russia-Africa relations.  The overall conclusion of the commentary is that soft power has never been a strong suit of Russian foreign policy. 

China-Africa Relations Following Sixth FOCAC in Johannesburg

Business Report published on 2 December 2015 a commentary titled "Dialogue Anchors China-Africa Relations" by Peter Kagwanja, CEO of the Nairobi-based Africa Policy Institute. 

The author looks at China-Africa relations in the aftermath of the Sixth FOCAC taking place in Johannesburg, China's One Belt One Road initiative, the Maritime Silk Road, and an apparent new focus on support for industrialization in Africa.

Russia Is Reengaging in Africa

Pambazuka News published on 14 November 2015 a commentary titled "Russia: Attempting a Bridge to Africa" by Kester Kenn Klomegah.  Russia is trying to make up for lost time in Africa but faces growing competition from emerging nations, including the other BRICS.

South Africa, Foreign Policy and China

The Centre for Chinese Studies at Stellenbosch University published in September 2015 an analysis titled "South Africa's Changing Foreign Policy in a Multi-polar World: The Influence of China and other Emerging Powers" by Ross Anthony, Paul Tembe and Olivia Gull. 

The study underscores the growing influence on the ruling African National Congress of emerging powers, especially China. 

Africa and China's Economic Slowdown

The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development's Bridges Africa published on 14 September 2015 an article titled "Experts Highlight Risks for Africa Resulting from China's Economic Slowdown."  They look at the impact on trade, investment, inflation, currencies, and aid.

BRICS New Development Bank and China's Market Slump

BizNews.com published on 4 September 2015 an interview with Leslie Maasdorp, vice president of the BRICS New Development Bank, titled "Chinese Market Slump Won't Influence BRICS Bank Commitment."  Maasdorp, who is resident at the New Development Bank head office in Shanghai, expressed little concern that China's currency devaluation and market slump would impact negatively the ability of the New Development Bank to meet its commitments. 

The BRICS: the Northern and Southern Connections

The Diplomatist published in August 2015 an analysis titled "Ufa and BRICS-SCO Connection Eurasia-Indian Ocean Nexus" by Francis Kornegay, Institute for Global Dialogue in South Africa.  He notes the differences between the northern and southern members of the BRICS and suggests that India may be the linchpin between the two groups.

Policy Briefs on China-Africa Relations

The Centre for Chinese Studies at Stellenbosch University published in August 2015 three policy briefs dealing with different issues in the China-Africa relationship in anticipation of FOCAC VI to be held in South Africa this year.

One is titled "South Africa-China Multi-lateral Co-operation: BRICS and FOCAC" by Yejoo Kim and Nusa Tukic.  The paper discusses the importance of South Africa's growing role as a member of the BRICS and FOCAC, how they can contribute to South Africa's sustainable development, and how South Africa can take advantage of membership in both organizations.

Another is titled "Preparing for FOCAC VI: China-South Africa Co-operation in Conservation and Renewable Energy" by Meryl Burgess and Harrie Esterhuyse.  It examines the role of these two themes as a way of demonstrating some of the concrete ways in which China-Africa interaction is evolving in a world where sustainable development has become key.

The third is titled "The Temptations and Promotion of 'China Dream': Calling for Africa's Home-grown Rhetoric" by Paul Tembe.  It discusses the domestic context of the Chinese Dream and analyses its extension into Africa in the form of the African Dream.  It suggests the need to establish an African home-grown rhetoric that will help Africa maximize gains in the spaces provided by China's paradigm shift and offer lessons that will better prepare China for engagement in Africa. 

Social and Environmental Impacts of Chinese Overseas Investment

Yale's School of Forestry and the Environment has released a summary of the conference proceedings of the 2nd Yale Symposium on Chinese Overseas Investment and Its Environmental and Social Impacts that took place at Yale University on 3-4 April 2015. 

China, India, Brazil, and the Indian Ocean

The Diplomatist published in July 2015 an article titled "Changing Security Environment in the Indian Ocean: Re-looking the Effectiveness of Existing Regional and Sub-Regional Initiatives" by Francis Kornegay, University of South Africa.

The article discusses the prospects for cooperation in the Indian Ocean by IBSA members India, Brazil, and South Africa in view of China's leadership of the BRICS.

Are the BRICS on the Same Page?

The recently concluded BRICS' Summit in Ufa, Russia, has resulted in a torrent of analysis about the organization.  I include three provocative analyses below.

The Carnegie Moscow Center published on 8 July 2015 an analysis titled "Why Do Brazil, Russia, India and China Need BRICS?" by Alexander Gabuev, Andrey Movchan, Petr Topychkanov, and Sergei Vasiliev.  It compares the different interests of four of the member countries in the BRICS.

Commodities Now published on 7 July 2015 an article titled "BRICS Trade Strategy: Time for a Rethink."   It looks at trade distortions among the member states.

Quartz India published on 9 July 2015 an article titled "Despite the Happy Photos and Handshakes, the BRICS Are Frenemies in Trade" by Madhura Karnik.  It also focuses on trade competition among the member nations.

Existing Global Economic System Challenged by BRICS

The Huffington Post published on 22 June 2015 a commentary titled "India, China and the Rest of the BRICS Will No Longer Wait for a Seat at the Table" by Shashi Tharoor, former Indian Minister of State for External Relations.

The author argues that China and India are seeking global influence commensurate with their economic weight; Brazil and South Africa are emerging as continental powerhouses and hydrocarbon-fueled Russia is chafing at its status on the margins of the Western system.  If the BRICS are not allowed to help lead within the existing global system, they will inevitably create their own. 

BRICS New Development Bank and Africa

Modern Diplomacy published on 10 June 2015 a commentary titled "BRICS Bank Could Change the Game" by Kester Kenn Klomegah, an independent researcher with considerable experience in Moscow. 

The author reviews the genesis of the BRICS New Development Bank, which is intended to establish a $100 billion pool of currency reserves, and suggests that it could result in the BRICS becoming powerful players in global decision-making.  

China and Global Governance

Project Syndicate published on 30 March 2015 a commentary titled "China and Global Governance" by Javier Solana, former Secretary-General of NATO.  Solana makes the case that Chinese initiatives such as the BRICS Development Bank, Silk Road, and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank are good news for the world.  He urges Europe and the US to overcome their strategic mistrust of China. 

African Economies and the Future

This Is Africa, supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, recently published a series of brief commentaries titled "Building Inclusive Economies: Can Africa Bridge the Development Divide?" by a number of experts.  They provide some insightful comments on the future of African economies.

Africa and China's Maritime Silk Road

China's concept of the Maritime Silk Road (MSR) is attracting increasing attention, some apprehension, and more than a little confusion, especially as it concerns Africa.  I ran across three recent analyses that shed useful light on the project.

The first is a working paper published by the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) at the National University of Singapore in October 2014 titled "New Maritime Silk Road: Converging Interests and Regional Responses" by Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy, a research associate at ISAS.  The author concludes that the MSR is an effort in initiating a grand strategy with global implications.  While the MSR could be helpful in reinforcing cooperation and raising it to a new level of maritime partnership, China has yet to cultivate political and strategic trust.

Beijing Review published in February 2015 a series of views titled "Visions of the Maritime Silk Road" by Mohamed Noman Galal, former Egyptian ambassador to China, Srikanth Kondapalli, Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, and Zamroni Salim, Indonesian Institute of Sciences.  Galal welcomes the MSR.  Kondapalli suggests the MSR is a reaction to the effort by the United States to rebalance its relations in the region.  Salim wonders how the ASEAN countries will benefit from the MSR.   

The blog East by Southeast published in November 2014 a piece titled "China's Maritime Silk Road Is All  about Africa" by Brian Eyler, director of the IES Abroad Kunming Center at Yunnan University.  It points out that the goal of the MSR is to connect 12 Strategic Maritime Distribution Centers from China to South America.  Seven of the 12 proposed centers are in Africa.

China-South Africa Relations

Pambazuka News published on 19 February 2015 a commentary titled "Zuma's State of the Nation Address: A Chinasque Reading" by Bob Wekesa, a research associate with the Wits China-Africa Reporting Project. 

South African President Jacob Zuma's 12 February 2015 State of the Nation Address focused heavily on energy issues.  Wekesa points out that China was mentioned more frequently than any other country.

Russian Academy of Sciences Papers on Africa

The Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences published in 2014 conference papers titled Africa's Growing Role in World Politics.  Click here to see the table of contents.

The section on China-Africa relations contains the following papers:

--China's Role in Africa in the 21st Century by Tatiana Deych.
--Ethiopia and China: Two Former Empires Connect in the 20th Century by David Shinn.
--Can Africa Benefit from its Booming Cooperation with China? The State Capacity Factor in Comparative Perspective by Mamoudou Gazibo.
--China's Relationship with Sub-Saharan Africa: Despite Convergence with Industrialized Countries, Drivers or Structural Transformation? by Alice Nicole Sindzingre.
--China and Africa: Mutual Interest by Yury Smertin.

China's Alternative Diplomacy: Implications for Africa

The Diplomat published on 30 January 2015 an excellent commentary titled "China's Alternative Diplomacy" by Zheng Wang, director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Seton Hall University in New Jersey.

While the focus of the commentary is on China's periphery in Asia, it has implications for Africa.  The basic argument is that China under Xi Jinping is creating new international platforms that China can control or substantially influence while it retains its engagement with traditional institutions such as the World Bank and IMF.  While these new platforms are mostly economic, the goal is to ensure China's long-term security and strategic objectives throughout the world.  Africa remains on the margins of these security concerns but does come into play as a major source of oil and minerals and a region where Chinese interests are already subject to harm.  Terrorist groups in Africa are potentially even a source of support for the minority Muslim Uyghur population in western China.  The new BRICS development bank is an example of China's alternative diplomacy relevant to Africa.