Chinese Military Training for Africa

 The US Institute of Peace published in July 2023 a study titled "Chinese Professional Military Education for Africa: Key Influence and Strategy" by Paul Nantulya.  

The report describes the People's Liberation Army's support for African independence movements during the decolonization period and then examines recent trends in Chinese professional military training (PME), focusing on the training African officers receive in China.  It sketches the larger political context and ideological framework within which Chinese PME functions and explores how China has used the ties its PME has created or strengthened to overcome political differences with African countries and to serve its broader strategic interests.  The report examines the impressions African officers have of Chinese PME and how it compares with what the West offers.  It concludes with key takeaways and policy implications for American policymakers and military educators as they consider what China's PME approach in Africa means in the context of strategic competition with China.

Emerging powers in Africa

The following paper is an updated version of earlier remarks on emerging powers in Africa that I presented to the Senior African Leaders Seminar organized by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University in Washington on 15 June 2011. The participants were senior African military and civilian officials from Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone Africa.

Emerging Powers in Africa

"Emerging Powers in Africa"

Below are the remarks I delivered today at National Defense University.

Emerging Powers in Africa

Sudan experts comment on the post-referendum situation

The National Defense University's Africa Center for Strategic Studies and Center for Complex Operations hosted a seminar in Washington on Dec. 16, 2010 that focused on the implications of an independent Southern Sudan after the Jan. 9, 2011 referendum. The most useful sections of this seminar summary dealt with Sudan’s outstanding debt, the nature of U.S. engagement with Sudan after the referendum and the role of the international community.

You can read the entire summary here (PDF).

Involvement of non-Western states in Africa

I presented remarks today at the National Defense University in Washington on the involvement of non-western states in Africa. My analysis looked at China, India, Brazil, Russia, Iran, Turkey and Vietnam.

The bottom line is that the playing field in Africa has become much more crowded. A growing number of non-western nations are intensifying their contact with African countries. As the United States and the West generally pursue their own interests on the continent, they will have to take account of this significant new development. You can read the text of the remarks here.

Involvement of Non-Western States in Africa

My remarks at National Defense University on the involvement of non-Western states in Africa

I spoke yesterday at the National Defense University on the activities of China, India, Brazil, Russia and Iran in Africa. The transcript is accessible here.

"The U.S. and Africa: Issues and challenges"

On April 1, I addressed more than 300 U.S. military and civilian and about 20 foreign military officers at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (National Defense University) on U.S.-Africa policy. A transcript of my remarks, which touched upon several historical policy themes, U.S. interests in Africa, U.S. strategy towards Africa, an evaluation of African policy during the Bush administration, and a discussion of issues and challenges facing the Obama administration, can be accessed here.

My remarks today at National Defense University

About 50 representatives from various branches of the military and civilian government (Homeland Security, FBI, Agriculture, USAID, Treasury, State, Defense, etc.) attended the presentation at NDU as part of a three-day introduction to African Security Issues Seminar. My presentation focused on non-Western actors in Africa, especially China, India, Russia, Brazil, and Iran. You can read my entire presentation, which is titled "International Perspectives: Involvement of Non-Western States" here.