Africa Turns Increasingly to China's Global Security Initiative

 China-Africa Security Radar posted on 7 December 2025 an article titled "Africa Increasingly Aligning with China's Global Security Initiative."

Senior African Union officials are underscoring the strategic alignment of China's Global Security Initiative (GSI) with the doctrine of African solutions to African problems.  Africa has become a testing ground for GSI.

But there are drawbacks to the GSI.  For example, it lacks a clear operational definition, detailed criteria for participation, or concrete benchmarks for implementation.  

African Union Seeks to Harmonize Strategy with China

 The African Union posted on 1 December 2025 a news release titled "African Union Permanent Mission to China Convenes Strategic Retreat to Enhance Alignment, Coordination, and Implementation of the FOCAC Commitments and Agenda 2063."

The African Union Permanent Mission to China and the African group of ambassadors in China organized on 2-3 December 2025 a session to review the FOCAC Action Plan 2025-2027 and coordinate it with the AU's Agenda 2063.  The African side expressed a desire to focus on promotion of industrialization, mineral cooperation, infrastructure development, agricultural modernization, food security, and pharmaceuticals.

China Moves Deeper into African Banking

 Uganda's The Observer published on 5 December 2025 an article titled "China's Payment System Gains Ground in Africa as Afrexim, Standard Join In."

Afreximbank, Africa's multilateral trade bank, became the first major African institution to join China's Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), enabling direct and cheaper yuan transactions.  Standard Bank Group, the continent's largest lender, followed suit.  CIPS gives China an alternative to the Western world's SWIFT. 

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) owns 20 percent of the Standard Bank Group while the Export-Import Bank of China holds at least 6 percent of Afreximbank.   

Trump Rants and ICE Raids Put Fear in Minnesota Somali Community

 The Washington Post published on 4 December 2025 an article titled "Minnesota, Known for a Warm Welcome, Turns Icy for Somali Immigrants" by Caroline O'Donovan and Emmanuel Felton.

A combination of disparaging remarks by President Trump about the Somali community in Minnesota and recent raids in the Twin Cities by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have instilled a sense of fear among Somali Americans.  

Pirate Attack in Bab el-Mandeb Strait

 The Week magazine published on 6 December 2025 an article titled "Battle of Sea: Bulk Carrier 'Bobic' Fends Off 15 Pirate Boats Twice; Netizens Call It Swarm Attack."

The Barbados-flagged, Turkish-owned bulk carrier was attacked on 5 December in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait by 15 small boats of unknown origin.  The armed security team on the bulk carrier managed to repel all 15 boats; there were no casualties and the bulk carrier continued to its next port of call.  

Africa Mostly an Afterthought in US National Security Strategy

 The White House released this week the Trump administration's "National Security Strategy of the United States of America" dated November 2025.  

Africa receives relatively brief attention at the end of the 29-page report, although the introduction does include the Egypt/Ethiopia conflict as one of the eight conflicts President Trump has settled in his first eight months in office.

Rather than spread liberal ideology, according to the strategy paper, the US should instead look to partner with select countries to ameliorate conflict, foster mutually beneficial trade relationships, and transition from a foreign aid paradigm to an investment and growth paradigm. It should favor partnerships with capable and reliable states committed to opening their markets to US goods and services.  The US should seek good returns on investment in the energy and critical minerals sectors.  The US should avoid any long-term American presence or commitments. 

Comment:  The short section on Africa clearly reflects the Trump administration's "America First" strategy.  A policy towards Africa based on trade and investment is a noble goal, but largely dependent on the willingness and ability of the American private sector to implement it.  Past history demonstrates that without significant US government incentives, this policy is likely to disappoint.  

The inclusion of the conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia as one of the eight resolved by President Trump in his first eight months may come as a surprise to Ethiopia and Egypt.  

Rubio Says Only Trump Can Resolve Sudan Crisis

 Aljazeera published on 4 December 2025 an article titled "Rubio Says Trump to Get Involved in Sudan Peace Efforts as Civil War Rages."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on 3 December that President Trump has been personally overseeing efforts to bring an end to the war in Sudan.  He added that Trump is "the only leader in the world capable of resolving the Sudan crisis."

Tanzania's Election Violence: US and EU Reassess While China and Russia Expand Ties

Chatham House published on 4 December 2025 an analysis titled "Tanzania's Election Violence: Deflecting Blame Will Only Do More Harm" by Fergus Kell. 

Tanzania held elections last October that resulted in extensive violence and hundreds of civilian deaths.  Key opponents to President Samia Suluhu Hassan were prevented from competing.  Polling stations were nearly empty on election day.  The government declared Samia the winner with 98 percent of the vote and a turnout of nearly 33 million in a country where the entire voting age population is 35 million.  Violence quickly broke out.

The United States and European Union have been critical of the election and are reassessing their relationship with Tanzania.  China and Russia have remained uncritical.  China is moving forward with a $1.4 billion project to refurbish the Tanzania-Zambia Railway while Russia continues to pursue its $1.2 billion uranium project.  

Representative Ilhan Omar Responds to President Trump

 The New York Times published on 4 December 2025 an opinion piece titled "Ilhan Omar: Trump Knows He's Failing.  Cue the Bigotry."

Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minneapolis, responded to President Trump's vilification of her personally and the Minnesota Somali community generally.  She described Trump's remarks as "hate speech" and contributing to xenophobia.  

Will African Countries Stand Up to China?

 The BBC posted on 2 December 2025 an article titled "Devastating Toxic Spill Seen as Test of Whether African Countries Will Stand Up to China" by Mayeni Jones.

The collapse in Zambia of a tailings dam for a Chinese copper mining company resulted in a toxic mess for the local population.  It is now up to the Zambian government to hold the company fully responsible.  This has become a test of how hard Zambia is willing to pressure a company whose government holds $5 billion of its debt.  

Ethnic Politics US Style: Somali Americans the Current Focus

 Reuters published on 4 December 2025 an article titled "Trump 'Garbage' Rhetoric about Somalis Draws Cheers from Administration, Silence from Republicans and Alarm from Critics" by Bianca Flowers, James Oliphant, David Hood-Nuno, and Joseph Ax.  

About 76,000 people of Somali descent live in Minnesota.  More than half of them were born in the United States.  President Trump and members of his administration have begun describing the Somali community in derogatory language.

Comment:  Any resident of the United States, Somali or otherwise, should be prosecuted for proven criminal acts.  But debasing an entire ethnic community for the actions of a few bad actors is not the America that I know and love. 

China Takes Lead at COP30 but Africans Suffer

 Foreign Policy published on 4 December 2025 an article titled "Africa Was the Biggest Loser of China's COP30 Triumph" by Nathaniel Mong'are, speaker of Kenya's Young Parliamentarian Association.  

Beijing, in the absence of the United States and wavering of the European Union, asserted leadership at the COP30 summit in Brazil, preserving the status quo for Big Oil, petrostates, and the world's largest emitters.  While China, which produces a third of the world's emissions, was the summit's de facto climate champion, it received a positive reputation that it does not deserve.  The losers were African countries whose mines and forests are experiencing environmental damage by Chinese extraction companies.  

Islamic State Pressured in Somalia

 AEI's Critical Threats Africa File posted on 4 December 2025 an article titled "Somalia--Islamic State Somalia Province."

Puntland troops supported by US airstrikes have significantly degraded Islamic State jihadi forces in northern Puntland.  Nevertheless, the Islamic State remains active in the region. 

Egypt and China to Jointly Produce Drones

 Defence Blog posted on 1 December 2025 an article titled "Egypt and China Launch Joint Production of New Armed Drone" by Daisuke Sato.

Egypt's Arab Organization for Industrialization and China's Norinco signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly produce armed drones based on the ASN-209 platform.  The drones will use Chinese components and be assembled in Egypt.  

Deporting Somalis from Minnesota Encounters Reality

 The New York Times published on 3 December 2025 an article titled "Obstacles to Trump's Push to Deport Minnesota Somalis: Reality and the Cold" by Ernesto Londono and Talya Minsberg.

President Trump called Somalis in Minnesota "garbage" and vowed to deport them.  But there is a problem.  The vast majority of Somalis have legal status in the United States and very few are legally candidates for deportation.  Trump has, however, created an atmosphere of xenophobia in the Twin Cities area.

Ethiopia: Rethinking Tigray Region's Democratic Path

 Ethiopia Insight published on 3 December 2025 a commentary titled "When Liberty Is Misused: Rethinking Tigray's Democratic Path" by Gidey Amare, a public servant in the healthcare sector.

Infighting and factional battles are monopolizing political energy in Tigray Region.  Those advocating democratic renewal are preparing for it by dismantling rather than cultivating the political culture required to maintain it.

The author argues that the current trend in Tigray requires a political shift.  Political parties must end all forms of character assassination.  The political debate should pivot to structured policy discussions. Civil society and the media must take responsibility for shaping political discourse.  Political leaders must be willing to engage with their ideological opponents.  Political parties must build grassroots support and demonstrate a competence to govern.  

U.S. Foreign Service at the Breaking Point

 The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) posted on 3 December 2025 a survey titled "At the Breaking Point: The State of the U.S. Foreign Service in 2025."

AFSA polled all of its active-duty members and received a response from 2,100 or about one-third of the total.  The results reflect a crisis developing in the organization where I served for 37 years.  

Some 86 percent of respondents said changes in the workplace since January 2025 have affected their ability to advance U.S. diplomatic priorities.  A whopping 98 percent reported poor morale.  Nearly one-third reported changing their career plans since January 2025.

US State Department: How Not to Manage a Bureaucracy

 The New York Times published on 2 December 2025 an article titled "U.S. Diplomats Report Broken Morale and Abandoned Careers" by Michael Crowley.

A recent American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) survey of 2,100 State Department diplomats reported that 98 percent believe workplace morale has fallen since the Trump administration took power in January.  Only 1 percent reported an improvement in the situation in the State Department.  

CNN covered the same report on 3 December 2025 in an article titled "Trump Administration Changes Have Left US Diplomats Demoralized and Less Able to Do Their Jobs, Report Says" by Jennifer Hansler.

CNN quotes the president of AFSA as saying: "The Foreign Service--the very institution tasked with navigating our global interests--is being dismantled in real time."  Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised State Department personnel when he first arrived.  There is now a belief he has turned his back on them.  

Trump Lashes Out at Somalis in US

 The Wall Street Journal published on 2 December 2025 an article titled "Trump Says He Doesn't Want Somali Immigrants in U.S. as ICE Plans Operation" by Michelle Hackman, Natalie Andrews, and Jack Morphet.  

President Trump said he does not want immigrants from Somalia in the country ahead of an expected ICE operation in Minnesota, where the Somali American community is concentrated.  Last month, Trump said he would revoke Temporary Protected Status for Somalis in Minnesota.  

He referred to Somali American elected member of Congress, Ilhan Omar, as "garbage."  Omar responded that "his obsession with me is creepy" and "I hope he gets the help he desperately needs." 

Russia Recruits African Mercenaries for War against Ukraine

 Semafor published on 3 December 2025 an article titled "Families of Kenyans Fighting for Russians Demand Their Return" by Vivianne Wandera.  

More than 1,400 Africans from at least 36 countries--including Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa--are fighting as mercenaries alongside Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine.  The number includes an estimated 200 from Kenya, some of whom are former members of Kenya's armed forces.  

PLA Navy's 48th Escort Group to Gulf of Aden

 China-Africa Security Radar posted on 2 December 2025 a commentary titled "PLA Navy's 48th Escort Group: Routine Rotation or Strategic Inflection Point?" by Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah.

The author argues that the deployment of the PLA Navy's 48th Escort Group to the Gulf of Aden occurs against declining American influence across Africa and represents an incremental step in China's transformation into a comprehensive security actor across Africa.

Sudan Renews Naval Base Talks with Russia

 The Wall Street Journal published on 1 December 2025 an article titled "Sudan Offers Russia Its First Naval Base in Africa" by Benoit Faucond and Nicholas Bariyo.

Sudan's military government has revived discussions with Moscow for a naval base on the Red Sea.  Sudan is offering Russia a 25-year lease to station up to 300 troops and 4 warships--including nuclear powered ones--at Port Sudan or another Red Sea location.  In exchange, Sudan would receive advanced Russian anti-aircraft systems and other weaponry at preferential prices to support its war against the Rapid Support Forces.

Comment:  This naval base has been under discussion for years but always seems to encounter problems before a final deal is reached.  It is not clear if agreement has actually been reached on this occasion.

Morocco-China Relations Advance

 The ChinaMed Project published on 1 December 2025 an article titled "From Geoeconomics to a Chinese Diplomatic Shift on the Western Sahara? Moroccan Press Coverage of FM Bourita's Visit to Beijing" by Imane Ezzehouany.

In October, China abstained on a UN Security Council vote that endorses Morocco's 2007 Autonomy Project for the Western Sahara.  Morocco interpreted Beijing's vote as a diplomatic victory.  China has consistently refused to recognize either side's claim over the disputed territory.  This nuanced political change follows expanding economic ties between China and Morocco. 

Update on Sudan's Civil War

 Aljajeera published on 30 November 2025 an article titled "War in Sudan: Humanitarian, Fighting, Control Developments, November 2025" by Maziar Motamedi.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) consolidate control in Darfur in western Sudan while the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) does the same in the Khartoum area.  Kordofan region continues to be contested.  The RSF says it has accepted a ceasefire requested by the Quad (US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and UAE) but continues to engage SAF forces.  The SAF has rejected the terms of the Quad's ceasefire.  The humanitarian situation is worsening in Darfur but may be improving slightly in the Khartoum area.

The US Can Outcompete China in Africa

 The American Enterprise Institute published on 26 November 2025 a commentary titled "The U.S. Can Outcompete China in Africa" by Liam Karr and Yale Ford.

AEI argues that American companies have a better track record than Chinese companies on issues such as protecting the environment, worker safety, and labor standards.  US companies are less likely to make some of the mistakes made recently in Africa by Chinese companies.  Consequently, African countries should be attracting more US investment, and US companies should win more construction contracts than Chinese companies.

Comment:  In theory, this is a valid argument, but it overlooks financing advantages often offered by Chinese state banks and state-owned companies, a larger on the ground presence in Africa by important sectors such as Chinese construction and IT companies, a willingness by Chinese companies to take higher risks, a greater willingness by Chinese companies to engage in corrupt practices that are all too common in Africa, fewer governmental incentives available to American companies, and just less interest in Africa by American companies.  There is no indication this situation will change anytime soon.