China Emphasizes Health Care Aid to Africa

 The Economist published on 27 November 2025 an article titled "The Changing Shape of Chinese Aid to Africa."

Since COVID-19, China has stepped up its aid to health care in Africa as the United States withdraws its support.  The US says it remains committed to being "the world's health leader" by routing assistance mainly through recipient country governments.

Comment:  It is still too early in the Trump administration to judge if the new US approach will work as predicted.  With the dismantlement of the US Agency for International Development, there are no longer field personnel to monitor aid programs, and it is questionable if State Department personnel at embassies abroad have the bandwidth to do this.

Zambian Perceptions of China, US, and Russia

 Afrobarometer published on 29 September 2025 a survey titled "Zambians Support Open Trade, Greater African Voice in International Affairs" by Edward Chibwill. 

A broader survey of Zambian public opinion includes an assessment of perceptions of China, the United States, and Russia.  Zambians expressed a 51 percent positive view of China's economic and political influence in the country versus an 8 percent negative view.  The ranking for the United States was 45 percent positive and 9 percent negative and for Russia 19 percent positive and 15 percent negative.  The remaining percentages were neutral.  

The percentage of Zambians who viewed China's influence on Zambia as positive in 2014 was 72 percent.  It declined to 61 percent in 2020 and 42 percent in 2022 before rising to 51 percent in 2024. 

Challenges to Higher Education in Ethiopia

 Ethiopia Insight published on 30 August 2025 a commentary titled "Education Under Siege in Ethiopia" by Aemro Worku, former lecturer at Injibara University.

COVID-19, periodic conflict and insecurity, and regional educational differences have done serious damage to higher education in Ethiopia.  

Impact of Houthi Attacks on Global Trade

 Bloomberg published on 1 May 2025 an article titled "How the Houthi Red Sea Ship Attacks Upended Global Trade" by Alex Langley, Paul Wallace, and Caroline Alexander.

Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea have caused the biggest disruption to global trade since the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing many ships to reroute around the southern tip of Africa.  Since November 2023, the Iranian-backed Houthis attacked more than 130 vessels in the Red Sea as of early March 2025.  Traffic through the Red Sea is 71 percent lower than 2023 levels and insurance is as much as ten times higher.  

Dismantling of USAID Sets Stage for Global Disease Outbreaks

 The New York Times published on 8 March 2025 an article titled "How Foreign Aid Cuts Are Setting the Stage for Disease Outbreaks" by Apoorva Mandavilli.  

The Trump administration's pause in foreign aid has hobbled programs that prevent outbreaks of disease such as Ebola and dengue around the world.  These diseases eventually appear everywhere, including the United States.  The interruption and possible termination of USAID funding increase the likelihood of uncontrolled disease outbreaks.  

Chinese Ship Visit to Egypt

 Military Africa published on 18 August 2024 an article titled "46th Chinese Naval Escort Task Force Visits Egypt" by Darek Liam.

A PLA Navy guided-missile destroyer and supply ship began a 5-day visit at Alexandria Port in Egypt on 15 August.  The two ships were previously part of China's anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.  This ship visit is one of several PLAN port calls in Africa following a hiatus during COVID-19.

China's Agenda at the Forum on China Africa Cooperation

 The China Global South Project published in August 2024 an analysis titled "China's Agenda at FOCAC 2024: Climate, Connectivity & Coalitions" by Cobus van Staden.

This report looks at the China-Africa relationship from the Chinese perspective as the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) approaches in September.  It explains why Africa matters to China, where the relationship currently stands, and what China's priorities will be at FOCAC.

China-Africa: Higher Education and Soft Power

 Nature published on 6 June 2024 an article titled "The Road to Soft Power Starts on Campus" by Rachel Nuwer, a freelance writer based in New York City.

In 2006, just 2 percent of China's international students came from Africa; by 2018, that percentage had risen to nearly 17 percent.  In 2018, the last year statistics are available, more that 80,000 Africans were enrolled in higher education in China.  Only France attracted more African students that year.

COVID-19 resulted in a reduction of African students in China due to the country's strict lockdown policies.  China has recently revived the scholarship program for Africans.  The article suggests that African students have had mixed experiences during their time in China.   

The Hidden World of Chinese Manufacturing in Ethiopia

 The China Global South Project posted on 31 May 2024 a 40-minute audio discussion (and written transcript) with Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan, co-directors/producers of their recent documentary film titled "Made in Ethiopia."  Eric Olander and Cobus van Staden ask the questions.

The discussion and the documentary film focus on relationships between Ethiopian workers and Chinese managers at a Chinese industrial park outside Addis Ababa.  Some 100 Chinese companies have manufacturing facilities in the industrial park.  Filming took place over four years and was interrupted by both COVID-19 and the war between federal government forces and Tigray Defense Forces.

For more information on the film, visit the website.  It will be shown at the Tribeca Festival in New York on 6, 9, and 14 June, at the Sheffield Festival in the UK on 13 and 15 June, at DC/DOX in Washington on 16 June, at Encounters in Johannesburg, South Africa on 22 June, and at Encounters in Cape Town, South Africa on 29 June.

China Investing Heavily in African Minerals

 Reuters published on 28 May 2024 an article titled "Post-COVID China Is Back in Africa and Doubling Down on Minerals" by Rachel Savage and Duncan Miriri.

China-Africa trade continues to grow but mostly on the basis of more Chinese exports to Africa.  Chinese loans to Africa dropped sharply after COVID-19 and have not yet demonstrated significant signs of revival.  Chinese investments, mainly in mineral projects, have, however, increased impressively.  

Full Steam Ahead for Chinese Navy Port Calls in Africa

 The South China Morning Post published on 13 April 2024 an article titled "Chinese Navy Steers a Course for African Ports in Beijing's Renewed Diplomatic Push" by Jevans Nyabiage.  

Following a hiatus, except for regular port calls at its naval base in Djibouti, during COVID-19, China's Navy has resumed them in Africa.  The PLA Navy's most recent visits took place at ports in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar.  

Chinese Loans and Labor Fall in Kenya and Across Africa

 Kenya's Business Daily published on 15 April 2024 an article titled "Why Chinese Expats and China Firms' Earnings Continue to Drop" by Dominic Omondi.  

The article notes the drop in Chinese contract labor and loans for infrastructure in Kenya and across Africa following a peak in China's loans to Africa in 2016.  

China-Africa Economic Engagement

 The International Monetary Fund published in February 2024 a working paper titled "Navigating the Evolving Landscape of China and Africa's Economic Engagements" by Wenjie Chen, Michele Fornino, and Henry Rawlings.  

The paper examines the evolution of trade, loans, and investment since the early 2000s, and the subsequent shift in the relationship triggered by the commodity price collapse in 2015 and by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The potential effects on the African continent of a further slowdown in Chinese growth are analyzed, highlighting the varying effects on different countries in Africa.

China-Africa trade continues to increase, although China's exports to Africa are growing much more rapidly than Africa's exports to China.  Chinese loans to Africa were once highly important but have declined sharply since reaching a peak in 2016.  China's foreign direct investment in Africa remains modest, reaching only about 4 percent of total investment stock on the continent.

Chinese Lending in Africa Following Global Shocks

 The Center for Naval Analyses published in December 2023 a major report titled "PRC Lending in Africa: Impacts in a Time of Global Shocks" by Timothy Ditter, Pamela Faber, Kaia Haney, Tsun-Kai Tsai, and Benjamin DeThomas.

The report identifies trends and effects of China's loan practices in nine African countries after the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.  The nine countries are Angola, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia.

The study concluded that China's lending practices are characterized by opaque and problematic loan terms and that its behavior has rendered fragile economies at risk of default.  Post-pandemic shocks to the global financial system have significantly reduced China's lending across Africa and its investment model has shown inherent flaws that create risk for African countries.

Can Ethiopia Return to Prosperity?

 Ethiopia's The Reporter published on 3 February 2024 a commentary titled "Ethiopia's Eroding Political Transition: Can Multiple Interlocking Crises Be Overcome?" by Bereket Tsegay, University of London.  

Interlocking political, security, and economic crises threaten the future of Ethiopia.  The author argues that Ethiopia must embrace a robust and holistic strategy if it expects to get back on track to a path of prosperity.  

Ethiopia's Foreign Debt Downgraded to Junk Status; About Half Held by China

 Nigeria's News Central published on 26 January 2024 an article titled "Ethiopia Defaults, Crumbling Under Chinese Loans" by Nesta Sani.  

Ethiopia is trying to restructure its foreign debt of about $28 billion, which Fitch Ratings has downgraded to junk status.  Chinese loans for infrastructure projects financed primarily by the Export-Import Bank and China Development Bank make up about half of the debt.  In 2023, China suspended debt payments due over the next 12 months.  It is not clear what happens when the debt suspension ends in July 2024.  

The Future of Chinese Lending to Africa

 The Diplomat published on 11 January 2024 an analysis titled "What Lies Ahead for Chinese Lending to Africa?" by Trevor Lwere, Development Reimagined.

Development Reimagined believes China's lending to Africa will rise in 2024, although the author warns there are four reasons why the organization is cautious about its prediction on the upside.

Comment:  Chinese lending to Africa declined from a peak of $28 billion in 2016 to just over $1 billion in 2021 and just under $1 billion in 2022.  It was also low in 2023, but figures are not yet available.  China should not find it difficult to exceed these low totals in recent years, but with its new focus on "small and beautiful" the glory years of Chinese infrastructure lending to Africa are not likely to return.  

Infographic on China's Loans to Africa

 Development Reimagined posted on 17 November 2023 an infographic titled "African Countries Bank Loans from China: Are Chinese Loans to Africa Back to Pre-Covid-19 Levels?"

This infographic contains a wealth of information on Chinese loans (past and present) to African countries.  It charts their growth and then decline in dollar value from 2001 through 2022, which countries are borrowing the most from Chinese banks, the number of African countries borrowing from China in any given year, the Chinese financial institutions providing the loans, the sectors financed by the loans, and the proportion of African debt that comes from China, France, the UK and US.

Comment:  The answer to the question "are Chinese loans to Africa back to pre-COVID-19 levels?" would seem to be a definitive "no" at least in terms of dollar value.  After reaching a high of $28 billion in 2016, China's loans to Africa fell to about $1 billion in 2020 and declined slightly more in 2021 and 2022.  Based on recent comments by Chinese officials, there is no indication that China intends to ramp up loans to Africa significantly in the next several years.  China's focus now is to finance projects that are "small and beautiful" or "small and smart."

Crisis in Ethiopian Education

 The Conversation published on 23 November 2023 a commentary titled "Ethiopia's Education System Is in Crisis--Now's the Time to Fix It" by Tebeje Molla and Dawit Tibebu Tiruneh. 

Ethiopian children did poorly on the 12th grade leaving examination for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 years.  While COVID-19 accounts for much of the decline, the crisis has deep roots ranging from inadequate school infrastructure to improperly trained teachers.  

China's Diplomatic Tools for Increasing Influence in Africa

 Modern Diplomacy published on 6 November 2023 a commentary titled "How Diplomacy Reinforces China's Political Influence in Africa" by Daouda Cisse.

The commentary looks at the way China uses diplomacy to increase its political influence in Africa.  It does so through FOCAC, encouraging favorable votes in the United Nations, emphasizing cooperation with the Global South, health diplomacy, and developing relationships between the Communist Party of China and African political parties.