Can China's Approach to AI Offer Lessons for Africa?

 The Diplomat published on 4 May 2026 a commentary titled "What China's AI Push Can Teach Africa about the Future of Labor" by Hannah Ryder and Huiyi Chen.

The authors argue that Africa should look at China's approach to dealing with AI and robotics in the workplace rather than the approach taken by Western countries.  China works on the assumption that automation does not move in one direction, at one speed, or through one class of jobs.  It can shift jobs from factory floors to office desks, from routine administration to design studios, and from manual repetition to communications and performance roles.

Comment:  The authors draw sharper differences between China's response to AI in the job market and the approach of Western countries than the situation merits.  They also assume a transition by the African labor force that may be more difficult to achieve than they suggest.

State Department Reductions in Force

 The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the organization that represents personnel in the State Department and other international affairs agencies, issued a statement on 11 July 2025 titled "AFSA Strongly Opposes State Department Reductions in Force." 

The statement appeared before more than 1,300 civil service and foreign service personnel at the U.S. Department of State learned today that they are being dismissed.  These dismissals follow a 20 percent reduction in personnel because of the dismantlement of the U.S. Agency for International Development and earlier forced resignations.  

Comment:  This is a sad day for civil service and foreign service personnel in the State Department.  While it has been done in the name of "reform," it has nothing to do with reform.  It is little more than part of a much larger effort to shrink the U.S. government in the mistaken view that it can do more with less.  The American public can judge the results in the years to come.

There are legitimate reasons to periodically change foreign policy priorities, eliminate functions, and add them.  But the reduction in force used in this "reform" does not appear to follow any coherent effort to take into account the skills and expertise of those being dismissed or the growing challenges that confront American foreign policy.     

The Personal Carnage Created by DOGE's Dismantlement of USAID

 The Foreign Service Journal published in its April/May 2025 edition an article titled "Lives Upended: The Impact of USAID's Dismantling on Those Who Serve."

The article looks at the lives today of US Agency for International Development personnel who unexpectedly lost their jobs because of ill-considered actions taken by Elon Musk's DOGE.

The Cost of Dismantling USAID

Politico published on 11 March 2025 an article titled "How Americans May Feel the Slashing of USAID" by Nahal Toosi and Krystal Campos. 

Former recipients of USAID-funded projects are already dying because the US has frozen the funding.  Much of the foreign assistance money is actually spent in the United States, especially on the purchase of farm products, and that money is frozen.  US health care companies are seeing their contracts cancelled.  Unemployment extends far beyond USAID staff to include contractors and non-government organization personnel who implement USAID programs.  

Axios published on 11 March 2025 an article titled "USAID Cuts Lead to More Furloughs in the Triangle" by Zachery Eanes.

This article is an example of the impact of USAID's dismantlement on furloughs at two companies in North Carolina's research triangle.  The damage extends well beyond Washington, D.C.  

Podcast on African Conflict and Development

 The UK-based Centre for African Conflict and Development posted on 22 July 2024 a 44-minute podcast with me titled "Austerity Measures, Right to Protest and Police in Kenya, Africa" hosted by Michael Nwankpa.  

Although focused on Kenya, the host asked questions on a variety of topics ranging across Africa allowing me to offer views on numerous topics based on my association with Africa dating back to the early 1960s.  

New Normal in the Khartoum Capital Region

 Aljazeera posted on 8 March 2024 a 20-minute podcast titled "The Take: Sudan's New Normal" with Hiba Morgan, Aljazeera's correspondent resident in Omdurman.

Hiba Morgan is one of the very few journalists to remain in the Khartoum capital region and to continue reporting on the situation in Sudan.  In this podcast, she describes her personal challenges and for many residents almost impossible conditions of living in an urban area frequently subject to artillery fire between the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. 

Ethiopia: Tigray Region is Unrecognizable

 Ethiopia Insight published on 30 January 2024 a commentary titled "Four Years Later, Tigray Is Unrecognizable" by an anonymous author.  

This report is based on a visit by an Ethiopian to his/her home in Tigray Region during October 2023.  The civil service barely functions.  Ethnic relations are complicated and often tense.  Grieving remains widespread and unemployment is high.  

Impact of COVID-19 on Ethiopia's Urban Poor

Ethiopia Insight posted on 4 May 2020 a story titled "Amid Lockdown Fears, COVID-19 Threatens Ethiopia's Urban Poor" by Yared Tsegaye, an Ethiopia Insight reporter based in Addis Ababa.

Urban unemployment in Ethiopia was 19 percent before COVID-19. The author reports that the impact of COVID-19 on the urban poor will be especially devastating.

African Countries Push Back against Chinese Aid?

The Washington Post Monkey Cage published on 16 October 2018 a commentary titled "African Countries Have Started To Push Back against Chinese Development Aid. Here's Why" by Richard Aidoo, Coastal Carolina University.

The author suggests there are four reasons why anti-Chinese rhetoric has some appeal in Africa.

Challenges Facing Ethiopia's New Government

The Royal United Services Institute posted on 5 June 2018 a commentary titled "Ethiopia's New Leader: So Far So Good, But Mountains Still to Climb" by Ann Fitz-Gerald, Cranfield University.

The author says there is hope that Ethiopia is moving to a better place, but security threats, regional conflicts, and diplomatic challenges face the new government.

Somali and Ethiopian Migrants Go to Yemen and Saudi Arabia

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) published on 1 December 2017 an account titled "Path of Insecurity for Migrants Leaving the Horn" by Peter Tinti, ISS consultant.

The author notes that many more Ethiopian and Somali migrants are traveling from the Horn of Africa to, of all places, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, than to Europe. Political discrimination and lack of economic opportunity are the primary drivers for Ethiopians while Somalis cite continuing conflict, famine and employment opportunities in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Can Ethiopia Be Africa's Leading Manufacturing Hub?

The BBC ran a story on 24 August 2017 titled "Can Ethiopia Be Africa's Leading Manufacturing Hub?"

Drawing heavily on the China model, Ethiopia is expanding industrial parks in an effort to provide employment for a rapidly growing population. The question is whether Ethiopia can increase the number of jobs fast enough to keep up with population growth and whether economic development also leads to democratization.

Khat an Increasing Problem for Ethiopian Youth

The New York Times published on 22 July 2017 an article titled "For Ethiopia's Underemployed Youth, Life Can Center on a Leaf" by Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura.

About half of Ethiopia's youth are thought to chew khat, a psychotropic amphetamine-like stimulant. The economic and social damage is considerable although khat is a boon to Ethiopian farmers.

Ethiopia Welcomes Refugees

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) published on 20 June 2017 a commentary titled "As Doors Close To Refugees, Ethiopia's Stay Open" by Tsion Tadesse, ISS Addis Ababa.

Although nearly 8 million Ethiopians need emergency food aid, the country hosts more than 800,000 refugees from Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, and Somalia. It continues to welcome refugees in spite of its internal challenges.

Chinese Migrants Leave South Africa

Quartz Africa published on 30 April 2017 a story titled "Chinese Migrants Have Changed the Face of South Africa. Now They're Leaving" by Lily Kuo.

South Africa hosts an estimated 350,000 to 500,000 persons of Chinese origin. Some of the families go back several generations while most of them are recent arrivals. The author suggests that today more Chinese traders and entrepreneurs are leaving South Africa than are arriving. The reasons are a bad South African economy, rising xenophobia, crime, and competition from new malls as well as African traders who have forged their own connections in China.

Poll of Somali Priorities

The Mogadishu-based Heritage Institute for Policy Studies recently published a public opinion survey titled "A Memo for Somalia's New Leaders on the Priorities of Citizens."

The survey asked 1,364 adults in five cities in Somalia what policy areas they want the Somali government to focus on. Tackling insecurity was the number one concern followed by fixing the broken education system, health care services and unemployment.

Africa and the World Happiness Report

The Sustainable Development Solutions Network has posted online its World Happiness Report 2017. It contains a chapter titled "'Waiting for Happiness' in Africa" by Valerie Moller, Benjamin J. Roberts, Habib Tiliouine, and Jay Loschky. Many factors are used to rank countries in the happiness report.

The report includes 44 African countries where there are many surprises. The happiest African country is Algeria followed by Mauritius, Libya, Morocco and Somalia. The bottom five African countries are Togo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Central African Republic. In the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia ranked number 18, Sudan number 24, and South Sudan number 37. Eritrea and Djibouti were not included in the study.

The report ranked 155 countries worldwide. Algeria, the happiest African country, ranked number 53 on the global index. Eight out of ten of the lowest ranking countries globally are in Africa.

The Political Crisis in Ethiopia

The African Studies Association annual conference took place in Washington and included a panel session on 3 December 2016 concerning the current political crisis in Ethiopia. My remarks during the panel dealt with the drivers of the conflict and some thoughts for going forward.

Seven Trends Shaping the Future of Peace and Security in Africa

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) reprinted on 28 June 2016 an analysis that was originally published by the World Economic Forum titled "Seven Trends Shaping the Future of Peace and Security in Africa" by Anton du Plessis, executive director of ISS, and Anja Kaspersen, head of international security at the World Economic Forum.

The authors argue that the drivers of conflict and violence in Africa include growing youth populations, high unemployment, lack of equal opportunities, urbanization, poverty, inequality, too many weapons, bad governance, and corruption. They identify seven issues that need to be addressed.

Violent Extremism in Africa

Afrobarometer published in June 2016 a study titled "Violent Extremism in Africa: Public Opinion from the Sahel, Lake Chad, and the Horn" by Stephen Buchanan-Clarke and Rorisang Lekalake.

The paper analyzes new opinion data from three of Sub-Saharan Africa's regional hotspots of terrorist and extremist activity: Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin; Ansar Dine, AQIM, and Mourabitoun in the Sahel; and al-Shabaab in the Horn of Africa. The study contains useful public opinion data on a variety of related issues.