Modern Diplomacy published on 20 September 2026 a commentary titled "China-Africa Defense Ties Deepen after Beijing Security Forum" by Nadia Helmy.
The 4th China-Africa Peace and Security Forum took place in Beijing in mid-September. Military representatives and defense officials from the African Union and 41 African nations participated. The event reflects growing interest in security cooperation with China and diversification away from Western countries.
Semafor published on 16 September 2026 an article titled "Somaliland's President Puts Everything on the Table for Trump" by Yinka Adegoke.
Somaliland's President Abdirahmin Mohamed Abdullahi "Irro" is in Washington pressing his case for diplomatic recognition. Irro is signaling that Somaliland is open to an American military base in the port of Berbera.
Irro said that Somaliland intends to maintain a relationship with Taiwan, but it welcomes investment from China.
Forbes published on 14 September 2026 a commentary titled "Why Egypt Has Taken an Eastward Turn" by Ilan Berman.
President Xi Jinping's recent state visit to Egypt signals the extent to which Egypt has drifted decisively into the Chinese orbit in recent years. Cairo's geopolitical orientation toward Washington is no longer a given.
The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 1 September 2026 an analysis titled "China's Expanding Military Reach in Africa: From Exercises to Expeditionary Power" by Paul Nantulya.
Africa is a testing ground for China's expeditionary capabilities and its military equipment. The People's Liberation Army's evolving training strategy in Africa is more relevant to building China's warfighting and expeditionary capabilities than to strengthening African force capacities. China's expanding military footprint and growing sophistication of military exercises in Africa have prompted deeper reflection on the strategic implications for Africa.
Military Africa posted on 26 August 2026 an article titled "Algeria Likely Buyer of Russia's New IL-78 Aerial Tanker" by Israel Chukwuma.
Algeria's Air Force may be the first buyer of Russia's IL-78MK-90A aerial refueling tanker, adding to its Russian-supplied fleet. Algeria devoted $25.4 billion to military spending in 2025, the highest amount for any country in Africa.
The Ethiopian News Agency published on 21 August 2026 an article titled "Ethiopia, US Agree to Establish Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation in Defense, Security."
Major General Teshome Gemechu, Director General of Foreign Relations and Military Cooperation at Ethiopia's Ministry of Defense, led a high-level delegation to the United States on 19-20 August. During a meeting at the US Department of Defense with the deputy assistant secretary for African affairs he said the two sides agreed that a "comprehensive and strategic partnership" will guide the future security relationship between the two countries.
Comment: So far, there has been no confirmation from the US side that a "comprehensive and strategic partnership" has been established with Ethiopia, although there has clearly been an improvement in the security relationship. This is not language normally used by the United States to describe close security relationships with other countries. The US has given "Major Non-NATO Ally Status" to 19 countries, which is a powerful symbol of the close relationship it shares with those nations. The only countries in Africa so designated are Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, and Kenya.
Modern Diplomacy published on 22 August 2026 a commentary titled "Egypt and China's 2026 Military Drills: What They Mean for US and Israeli Security" by Nadia Helmy, Beni Suef University.
The Egyptian-Chinese "Eagles of Civilization" military exercise involving the air forces of both countries reflects Cairo's pursuit of diversifying its arms sources and building operational independence. It also raises concerns in both Washington and Tel Aviv.
MiGFLUG posted on 23 August 2026 an article titled "China Flies Its Heavy Fighters to Africa" by Joseph Duncan.
A formation of Shenyang J-16 strike jets made its first flight to Africa and landed at an Egyptian air base on 21 August, opening the second edition of the "Eagles of Civilization" joint exercises between the Chinese and Egyptian air forces.
The J-16s covered more than 6,000 kilometers across two continents and four countries in roughly nine hours, topped up in the air by a Xian YY-20A refueling tanker.
This is another indication of Egypt's steadily deepening military cooperation with Beijing.
Defence Web published on 18 August 2026 an article titled "Cote d'Ivoire Boosts Military Capabilities with New Chinese Patrol Vessels and Drones" by Armand Liebenberg.
Cote d'Ivoire recently took possession of two Chinese donated Predator-class coastal patrol vessels and purchased at least two advanced Chinese-made Wing Loong II drones. China earlier supplied Cote d'Ivoire with 9 assault vehicles and 27 armored personnel carriers.
Business Insider Africa published on 11 August 2026 an article titled "China Delivers Its Famous Wing Loong II Combat Drones to Another African Country in Growing Challenge to America's MQ-9 Reaper" by Olamilekan Okebiorun.
Nigeria, Morocco, and Algeria previously received China's Wing Loong II combat drones. It is a lower cost alternative to the US-produced MQ-1 Predator and the MQ-9 Reaper drones.
This is the full text of the interview by Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary-General of the National Union of Somali Journalists, with General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, the Commander of U.S. Africa Command in Mogadishu and posted on 31 July 2026.
Most of the interview focuses on US-Somali cooperation in combatting al-Shabaab and the Islamic State in Somalia. This is the interview where General Anderson also said, "there are no plans to build a base in Somaliland" and "U.S. policy is, and remains, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia. That has not changed."
Business Insider Africa published on 3 July 2026 an article titled "U.S. Military Outlines New Africa Strategy Built on Intelligence, Drones, and Local Forces" by Solomon Ekanem.
Speaking after the 2026 Africa Chiefs of Defense Conference (ACHOD) in Luanda, Angola, from 30 June to 2 July, General Dagvin Anderson, commander of U.S. Africa Command, said the United States is shifting its strategy in Africa to a focus on intelligence sharing, affordable drones, and African led operations instead of relying on large US troop deployments.
For background on ACHOD, see "AFRICOM Hosts Key Defense Conference to Discuss Security Opportunities."
Rare Earth Exchanges published on 17 May 2026 an article titled "Africa Has Become the New Geopolitical Battleground for Critical Minerals."
The article summarizes a study that examines trade flows, foreign direct investment, military relationships, diplomatic agreements, mining policy, and strategic industrial initiatives shaping Africa's critical minerals economy. It evaluates how China, Russia, the United States, and Europe are accessing and responding to Africa's critical mineral wealth.
The entire study "In the Crosshairs: Twenty-first-century Rivalry for Africa's Critical Minerals" by Ron Matthews and Vlado Vivoda was published online on 11 May 2026 by the European Journal of International Security.
Modern Diplomacy published on 6 May 2026 a commentary titled "Egyptian Military Bases: A Strategic Linchpin for China's Interests in the Eastern Med and Red Sea" by Nadia Helmy, Beni Suef University.
China seeks to leverage the development of Egyptian military bases as centers for Chinese military technology, especially UAVs and advanced air defense systems. By supporting Egyptian military modernization, China also weakens Cairo's military dependence on the United States.
The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies published on 7 May 2026 an analysis titled "The New Scramble: Turkey, Somalia and the Battle for the Red Sea" by Matthew Chandler de Waal.
Turkey has become Somalia's foremost ally. Camp TURKSOM, Ankara's largest overseas military base, has trained thousands of Somali special forces since 2017. More recently, Turkey became engaged in a major project to develop Somalia's deepwater oil reserves.
Turkey is now looking to build a base in the Gulf of Aden at Laas Qoray, a port city that is contested by Somalia and the breakaway government of Somaliland. A base in Laas Qoray would put Turkey in position to join a host of other nations with military bases at the south end of the Red Sea.
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published in April 2026 a study titled "Russia in Africa: Examining Moscow's Influence and Its Limits" edited by Nate Reynolds, Frances Z. Brown, Frederic Wehrey, and Andres S. Weiss.
The collection of essays explores Russia's role, its appeal, and its limitations across very different parts of the continent--from West Africa and the Sahel to Southern Africa. It dives into Russia's interests and tools and explains how they vary over time and between places. It explores the agency and interests of African governments and citizens.
The collection contains the following essays:
--Introduction by Frances Z. Brown and Nate Reynolds
--Moscow's Dual-Track Africa Playbook: Transactional Security Deals in the Sahel, Enduring Political Capital in Southern Africa by Priyal Singh
--The Drivers and Limits of Russia's Appeal in West Africa and the Sahel by Jean-Herve Jezequel
--Russia's Geopolitical Hedging in the Sahel and West Africa by Anouar Boukhars
--Russia Risks Falling into the Sahel Security Trap by Hanna Rae Armstrong
--Battle for the Narrative: Africa in the Crosshairs of Russian Influence by Bah Traore
--Russia Eyes Expanded Role in Coastal West African States by Beverly Ochieng
--The Bear Down South: Russia's Relations with Southern Africa by Steven Gruzd and Friedrich von Treskow
--South Africa's Relationship with Russia: Navigating Historical Legacies, Domestic Change, and Geopolitical Complexities by Ray Hartley
--Beyond Material: Russia's Appeal to Southern African States by Philani Mthembu
The Conversation published on 15 April 2026 a commentary titled "China's Military Support for Somalia Is on the Rise--What Taiwan and Somaliland Have to Do with It" by Brendon J. Cannon, Khalifa University.
Beijing has promised equipment, training, and closer security cooperation with Mogadishu. The author argues that China is increasingly involved in Somalia because breakaway Somaliland has established close ties with Taiwan.
AEI's Critical Threats Africa File posted on 16 April 2026 an analysis titled "Turkey Expands Influence in Africa" by Liam Karr and Michael DeAngelo.
Turkey recently advanced economic and security ties with Somalia and Niger. Both countries now serve as Ankara's anchors for further advancing its strategic interests in Africa. In the case of Somalia, Turkey has assumed responsibility for managing and protecting its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) while it helps rebuild the defunct Somali navy in exchange for 30 percent of EEZ revenues.
Bloomberg published on 8 April 2026 an article titled "Russia Steps Up Its Courtship of Fragile African States" by Antony Squazzin.
Russia sent soldiers and weapons to prop up the military government that seized power in Madagascar last October.
Euromaidan Press, an on-line independent newspaper run by Ukrainian volunteers, published on 18 February 2026 a commentary titled "Why Ukraine Keeps Losing African Allies--And What Russia and China Built While No One Watched" by Peeter Helme.
Africa is the location of competition between Ukraine, on the one hand, and Russia and China, on the other. Ukraine is losing. Eight African countries now vote against Ukraine in the UN General Assembly (UNGA), up from one at the outbreak of Russia's attack against Ukraine in early 2022. Support for Ukraine collapsed from 28 African countries in 2022 to 10 during a UNGA vote in February 2025. Most are now non-committal.
The article attributes this loss of African support for Ukraine to a Russian disinformation campaign in Africa, an expanded scholarship program, Russian Orthodox Church outreach, and mercenary support in several countries. Russia's efforts in Africa are assisted by its ally, China, which has a massive economic engagement with the continent. China also has 53 embassies in Africa, Russia 40, and Ukraine only 18. The asymmetry in all categories of engagement is vast.
The article concludes that the ground shifted not because African countries support Russia's war, but because Moscow and Beijing built systems that reward distance from Kyiv.
The Forum for Research on Eastern Europe and Emerging Economies (Free Network) published in December 2025 a paper titled "Russia's New Strategy in Africa: Big Ambitions, Limited Gains" by Maria Perrotta Berlin, Stockholm Institute for Transition Economics, and Lev Lvovskiy, Belarusian Economic Research and Outreach Center.
While Russia has intensified relations with a handful of African states, the overall involvement remains limited in scope and depth. There has been a modest expansion of trade since 2022 and Russia's military cooperation agreements with African states have increased markedly in recent years.
Voting patterns in the United Nations General Assembly suggest declining rather than increasing support for Russian positions. Russia's new strategy may yield short-term geopolitical leverage but shows little sign of delivering durable economic or political gains.
