The Associated Press published on 5 May 2026 an article titled "Sudan Recalls Ambassador to Ethiopia over Drone Attack on Khartoum Airport."
Sudan claims it has been targeted on 4 occasions by drones originating in Ethiopia since March 1. Sudan said it intercepted the most recent drone targeting Khartoum airport. It blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and claimed the UAE supplied the drones. Ethiopia issued a statement denying the accusation.
The Associated Press published on 2 May 2026 an article titled "Taiwan's President Lands in Eswatini, under China's Shadow."
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te finally made it to Eswatini, the only country in Africa that recognizes Taipei, on 2 May. He had to reschedule his original visit when three African countries, reportedly under pressure from Beijing, cancelled overflight permission for his aircraft.
The Taipei Times published on 26 April 2026 an article titled "Lin Chia-lung Visits Eswatini as Envoy."
Following the cancellation of overflight permission by Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar for the president of Taiwan to attend the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III's accession to the throne, Taiwan's foreign minister arrived in Eswatini as his country's special envoy at the celebration.
The South China Morning Post published on 11 February 2026 an article titled "China Sends Envoy to Libya after Embassy Shuttered for More Than a Decade" by Jevans Nyabiage.
China has appointed a new ambassador to the Libyan Government of National Unity in Tripoli following the reopening of its embassy there last November. The embassy closed in 2014 for security reasons.
The Somali National News Agency published on 15 December 2025 an article titled "65 Years On, China-Somalia Relations Thrive" by Abdiqani Abdullahi.
The article summarizes Sino-Somali relations over the past 65 years, highlighting the hundreds of Somali students who receive scholarships annually to study in China.
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.
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 Diplomat published on 12 September 2024 an analysis titled "China-Africa Summit Shines a Spotlight on Eswatini, Taiwan's Lone Partner in Africa" by Shannon Tiezzi.
Eswatini is the only country in Africa that recognizes Taipei. Recent growing economic ties between China and Eswatini have renewed speculation that the two countries might establish diplomatic relations. This is, however, a decision in the hands of King Mswati III and there is no indication he is prepared to switch from Taipei to Beijing.
The Taipei Times published on 12 September 2024 an article titled "Eswatini 'Quietly Warming' to China: Report" by Jonathan Chin.
This report contains similar information but quotes an Eswatini government representative who denies that the Kingdom is about to begin a dialogue for switching diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China.
South Africa's The Citizen published on 27 March 2024 an article titled "China, Tanzania Set to Mark 60 Years of Naval Cooperation" by Jacob Mosenda.
Tanzania and China are marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the visit of the 45th Chinese naval task group (guided-missile destroyer Urumqi, guided-missile frigate Linyi, and supply ship Dongpinghu), which recently completed its anti-piracy rotation in the Gulf of Aden. Describing the China-Africa relationship, the article noted that China is Tanzania's largest trade partner and source of foreign direct investment.
Comment: It is true that China is Tanzania's largest trade partner and in 2022 was its largest source of foreign direct investment. The Chinese ambassador to Tanzania pointed out that in 2023 China-Tanzania trade reached $8.8 billion. What was left unsaid is the fact that this trade consists overwhelmingly of Chinese exports to Tanzania, leaving Dar es Salaam with a huge trade deficit. In 2022, for example, Tanzania's exports to China totaled only $535 million. Until 2021, the United Kingdom was the largest source of Tanzania's FDI; China passed the UK in 2022.
Before arriving at the port of Dar es Salaam, China's 45th naval task force participated with the Russian and Iranian navies in the 5th iteration of the trilateral naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman. Military Africa reported the engagement on 18 March 2024 in an article titled "South Africa Observes as Russia, China, and Iran Hold Naval Drill" by Sarah Lesedi.
National Public Radio published on 6 November 2023 an article titled "North Korea Says It Is Closing Some Diplomatic Missions Around the World" by Se Eun Gong.
North Korea is closing its diplomatic missions in Uganda, Angola, Spain, and Hong Kong and may shut down as many as a dozen in order to increase efficiency in its diplomatic establishments. North Korean ambassadors have already left Angola and Uganda.
The Washington Post published on 3 September 2023 an article titled "In China's Shadow, U.S. Rushes Back to Neglected Indian Ocean Island" by Liz Sly.
Following the closing in 1996 of the U.S. Air Force satellite tracking station in the Seychelles, the United States decided to shut the embassy for budgetary reasons. Washington reopened the embassy this year as part of a broader pushback against the influence China has acquired in the region during more than two decades of American disinterest.
The Central News Agency, Taiwan's national news service, published on 6 March 2023 an article titled "Visiting Eswatini PM Affirms Ties with Taiwan, Denounces 'Bullying'."
Eswatini's prime minister recently visited Taiwan where he met with President Tsai Ing-wen. Referring to China's pressure on Taiwan, he said Eswatini rejects any kind of bullying. Eswatini is the only country in Africa and one of 14 worldwide that has full diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
South Africa's News 24 published on 29 October 2022 an article titled "Tigray Conflict Talks: Ethiopia Threatens to Cut Ties with Countries Pushing 'Sinister Political Agenda'" by Lenin Ndebele.
Ethiopia has threatened to cut diplomatic ties with countries that it believes are making politically motivated accusations about the civil war in Ethiopia.
African Business published on 19 October 2021 an article titled "Erdogan Eyes Deals at Turkey-Africa Summit" by Shoshana Kedem.
Increased trade and investment in Africa represent a huge success story for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has massive problems at home with an economy that is not doing well.
The Diplomat published on 2 September 2021 an analysis titled "The Somaliland Connection: Taiwan's Return to Africa?" by Jean-Pierre Cabestan.
The author argues that Taiwan's relationship with Somaliland has established a new model of meaningful, although not formally diplomatic, ties that could be extended to other states. Following the establishment of a "Representative Office" in Somaliland, Taiwan opened another in Lithuania.
This issue of how a country allows Taiwan to name its office resulted in a row between Lithuania and China and the recall of Lithuania's ambassador from Beijing as reported by Reuters on 3 September 2021 in an article titled "Lithuania Withdraws Chinese Envoy in Row over Taiwan."
The New York Times published on 7 May 2021 an article titled "Somalia Moves to Defuse Tensions at Home and Abroad" by Abdi Latif Dahir.
After agreeing not to extend his term by two years, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo restored diplomatic relations with Kenya.
The North Africa Post published on 31 March 2021 an article titled "Rush to Re-open Diplomatic Representations at Libya's Door."
China and France are reopening embassies in Tripoli, Libya that closed in 2014 for security reasons. The US is holding back until there is further improvement in the security situation.
Afrika Focus published in 2020 a study titled "From Watchdog to Lapdog: Political Influence of China on News Reporting in Malawi" by Mwaona Nyirongo, Rhodes University, South Africa.
Malawi media, especially The Daily Times, generally offered negative coverage of China from 2001 to 2007 when Malawi recognized Taiwan. This changed in January 2008 when coverage of China became more positive. Malawi switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing at the end of 2007. The author argues that the Malawi government significantly influenced the change in coverage of China.
Aljazeera published on 11 January 2021 a commentary titled "Somalia and Kenya Still Have a Road to Neighbourly Cooperation" by Abdimalik Abdullahi.
Last December, Somalia broke diplomatic relations with Kenya "for meddling in its affairs." The author summarizes the conflicts between Kenya and Somalia, and then argues the two countries can and should begin to take steps to resolve them.
The New York Times posted on 24 October 2020 an article titled "Israel Sees Warming Ties with Sudan as Symbolic Progress in Hostile Region" by David M. Halbfinger and Ronen Bergman.
This is an excellent analysis of the significance, or lack thereof, of Sudan's decision to begin the process of normalizing relations with Israel.
