Zambia's Debt Exposure with China

 The China Africa Research Initiative published in September 2021 a paper titled "How Zambia and China Co-Created a Debt 'Tragedy of the Commons'" by Deborah Brautigam.  

Zambia is an extreme case of principal-agent problems in Chinese lending.  Among all African countries with Chinese loans, Zambia has the second largest number (after Angola) of different Chinese contractors winning Chinese loan-financed projects, and the largest number of distinct Chinese lenders.  This multiplication of stakeholders has created fierce competition for infrastructure contracts in Zambia.

Chinese State-Owned Enterprise Lessons for Africa

 The South African Institute of International Affairs published in July 2021 a study titled "Lessons for Africa in Chinese SOE Governance" by Luke Simon Jordan.

SOEs in China earn a lower return on assets than private enterprises and absorb a disproportionate share of credit.  On the other hand, they operate in lower-return but economically necessary sectors, and shoulder a range of difficult-to-price externalities.  

China-Africa Cooperation in Nuclear Power

CAC, a consulting and auditing firm based in Cameroon, recently posted an item titled "Nuclear: China As a Major Actor in Africa."

South Africa is now the only country in Africa to exploit nuclear power, but others are showing interest. About 30 African countries have reserves of uranium. Niger, South Africa and Namibia are important producers. China considers nuclear power as a strategic investment and is positioning itself to take advantage of growing interest in Africa by supplying services and expertise. It is already engaged in Niger and Kenya. CAC concludes that nuclear power is a new niche for the development of Sino-African relations.