The International Crisis Group reposted on 5 September 2025 a commentary titled "South Sudan's Day of Reckoning Is Nigh" by Daniel Akech.
President Salva Kiir has taken steps to consolidate his power, including setting up Benjamin Bol Mel as his eventual successor. The result is growing political instability. The author called on the leaders of key African governments to urge restraint and push for a broad political forum to discuss the future of South Sudan.
Nanyang Technological University posted on 5 September 2025 an analysis titled "China-Africa Trade Scenarios Amid Global Tariff War" by Rafiq Raji.
The author identifies 4 China-Africa trade scenarios emerging from the global tariff war. (1) China continues to sell Africa manufactured goods and buy raw materials, resulting in growing African trade deficits. (2) China has excess manufacturing capacity and uses Africa as a dumping ground for Chinese goods. (3) African countries exchange higher Chinese investment in mineral extraction for more value-added manufacturing capacity. (4) Chinese firms invest in the production of manufactured goods from extracted raw materials both in Africa as well as upstream processing that plugs into global value chains.
The Associated Press published on 4 September 2025 an article titled "South Africa Asks China to Postpone Naval Exercises that Coincide with Possible Trump Trip for G20" by Gerald Imray.
South Africa, China, and Russia had planned to hold their biennial joint naval exercise in late November. South Africa asked China to postpone the exercise because it coincides with the 22-23 November meeting in South Africa of the G-20, which President Trump may attend.
Pravda published on 2 September 2025 an article titled "South Africa to Hold Joint Naval Drills with Russia and China During G20 Summit" by Anton Kulikov.
The South African National Defence Force will conduct the third stage of the MOSI joint naval exercise with Russia and China in November this year to coincide with the G-20 summit hosted by South Africa.
The International Crisis Group (ICG) published on 1 September 2025 an analysis titled "Succession Fever Deepens South Sudan's Malaise."
As the health of South Sudan's President Salva Kiir declines, there is growing disquiet in the country over Kiir's effort to have inexperienced Benjamin Bol Mel succeed him. The ICG argues there needs to be a forum where key South Sudanese elites can discuss the political future, including the question of who will replace Kiir.
Ember, a global energy think tank, published on 26 August 2025 a report titled "The First Evidence of a Take-off in Solar in Africa" by Dave Jones.
The report presents Ember's analysis of Africa's imports of solar panels from China. African imports from China rose 60 percent in the last 12 months to 15,032 MW. Over the last two years, the imports of solar panels outside of South Africa have nearly tripled from 3,734 MW to 11,248 MW. Twenty African countries set a new record for the import of solar panels in the 12 months to June 2025.
RAND published on 15 July 2025 a study titled "Chinese Engagement with Africa: A RAND Research Primer" by Oluwetimilehin Sotubo and Cortez A. Cooper III.
The study presents an historical overview of the China-Africa relationship since the middle of the 20th century that includes the economic, humanitarian, and political aspects. It highlights trade and investment flows and summarizes Chinese medical and military cooperation with Africa.
Military Africa published on 4 August 2025 an article titled "Mali Receives Norinco CS/VP14 MRAPs from China, the Whole Story" by Ekene Lionel.
Mali received 36 Norinco mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles to combat its counter-insurgency threat. The delivery diversifies its military equipment sourcing and underscores a growing military relationship with Beijing.
CNN posted on 5 August 2025 an article titled "Trump's Tariffs Are Sending African Countries into China's Hands" by Nimi Princewill.
As the United States imposes tariffs on African countries, representatives of Nigeria and South Africa, the two largest economies in Africa, say this will only push African countries closer to China.
The White House issued an executive order dated 31 July 2025 titled "Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates," which updates global tariff rates.
Algeria, Libya, and South Africa now have 30 percent tariffs. Tunisia has a 25 percent tariff. The following countries have 15 percent tariffs: Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, DRC, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Other countries in Africa face a 10 percent tariff.
The Daily Maverick published on 23 July 2025 an article titled "SA Government Officially Withdraws Recognition of Taiwan's Office in Pretoria" by Peter Fabricius.
The South African government officially withdrew its recognition of Taipei's representative office in the capital of Pretoria. South Africa, under pressure from Beijing, insists that the office be renamed the Taipei Commercial Office and moved to the commercial center of Johannesburg. The government in Taipei is refusing to accept the decision.
The Diplomat published on 14 July 2025 an article titled "Africa and China: Turning FOCAC's Strategic Upgrades into Real Outcomes" by Huiyi Chen, Development Reimagined.
Every African country except Eswatini, which recognizes Taiwan, now has at least a "strategic partnership" with China and many have a more elevated status such as "comprehensive strategic partnership," "comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership," and a special status for Ethiopia and South Africa.
The author argues that African countries must now sharpen their strategies to maximize the new framework with China. The year 2025 will test whether these upgraded ties can deliver real outcomes.
The Africa Defense Forum (ADF) magazine, published by the US Africa Command, posted on 15 July 2025 an article titled "Indian Ocean Nations Grapple with Illegal Chinese Fishing Trawlers."
China has the largest distant water fishing fleet in the world. According to the World Wildlife Fund, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, and South Africa lost up to $142 million annually between 2015 and 2021 as a result of illegal fishing of shrimp, tuna, at least fifty-six species of sharks and rays and a variety of reef fish. The Chinese fleet is the worst illegal fishing offender.
The Atlantic Council published on 6 June 2025 a study titled "Keeping China at Bay and Critical Minerals Stocked: The Case for US-Africa Defense Collaboration" by Alexsandra Gadzala Tirziu.
Africa holds one-third of the world's known mineral resources, including 80 percent of platinum and chromium, 47 percent of cobalt, and 21 percent of graphite. Of the 50 minerals designated as critical by the US Geological Service, 32 are found in Africa. China accounts for 85 percent of global mineral processing capacity.
The US should help African nations develop their own domestic mineral processing capabilities to build their own self-sufficiency and to diminish China's lock on processing capacity. This could contribute to a reliable supply source of critical minerals for the Unites States. It could also strengthen US security alliances with African countries.
The South China Morning Post published on 10 June 2025 an article titled "China's Defence Chief Dong Jun Backs South Africa against 'Bullying' amid US Tensions" by Enoch Wong.
South Africa's head of the National Defense Force met in Beijing with the Chinese Defense Minister, Dong Jun, who promised to work with South Africa to oppose bullying, a veiled reference to the United States.
The South China Morning Post published on 24 May 2025 an article titled "South Africa Downgrades Taiwan's Representative Office as It Deepens Ties with Beijing" by Jevans Nyabiage.
Under pressure from Beijing, South Africa has asked Taiwan to move its office from the political capital of Pretoria to the commercial capital of Johannesburg and downgrade it from a liaison office to a trade office. Taipei has resisted the move so far.
Focus Taiwan published on 16 April 2025 an article titled "South Africa Steps Up Pressure on Taiwan Office; Minister Blames China" by Wen Kuei-hsiang and Ko Lin.
Taiwan's foreign minister accused China of pressuring the South African government of forcing Taiwan to move its liaison office from the political capital of Pretoria to the commercial capital of Johannesburg and redesignating it as an "international organization."
The China Global South Project posted on 16 May 2025 a 55-minute podcast titled "Somaliland's Strategic Gamble: Betting on Trump, Backing Taiwan, Defying China" hosted by Eric Orlander and Cobus van Staden with Moustafa Ahmad and Sacad Muhumed, both Somaliland foreign policy researchers in Hargeisa.
Most of the podcast, which also includes a written transcript, focuses on the complex nexus of Somaliland's relationship with Taiwan, Beijing's reaction to that relationship, speculation that the Trump administration might recognize Somaliland, and how all of this would play out in the Horn of Africa and in China. It's complicated.
Reporters without Borders posted recently its "RSF World Press Freedom Index 2025: Economic Fragility a Leading Threat to Press Freedom."
RSF ranked 180 countries for the 2025 index. Ten African countries, led by South Africa, Namibia, and Cabo Verde scored better than the United States, ranked number 57, although Sub-Saharan Africa generally experienced a decline in press freedom. The five lowest ranking countries were Eritrea, North Korea, China, Syria, and Iran.
The 2025 RSF index shows that today's news media are caught between preserving their editorial independence and ensuring their economic survival.
The Washington Post published in its hard copy edition on 17 April 2025 an editorial titled "Save America's Great Link to Africa."
America's key trade agreement for Africa, the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), is due to expire in September this year unless Congress votes for another extension. The program's future is uncertain because the Trump administration prefers bilateral trade deals over multinational agreements such as AGOA. The editorial makes the case for renewing AGOA.
