Facility for Talo and Leadership Somalia, a policy institute and training center, posted on 9 June 2026 an article titled "Turkish Delegation Works to Ease Somalia Election Standoff."
A Turkish delegation visited Mogadishu in an effort to facilitate direct negotiations between President Hassan Sheikh and his political opponents concerning a postponed election. Turkey has frequently intervened to mediate disputes in Somalia.
The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 10 June 2026 a study titled "Beyond Ports: China Embeds Itself in Africa's Maritime Networks" by Paul Nantulya.
China has established new shipping corridors that connect African port clusters in West, North, and Southern Africa to Chinese port hubs in Qingdao, Tianjin, and Yantai. These routes add to the dozens of direct lines between African and Chinese ports, reflecting growing integration into China-centered maritime networks.
The UK's Institute of Development Studies published on 10 June 2026 a study titled "From Market Access to Strategic Openness: The New China-Africa Business Relationship" by Jing Gu.
China's new zero tariff policy for Africa opens doors for increased exports to China but does not automatically increase them. The real constraints are upstream standards compliance, rules of origin, certification, logistics, cold chains, customs systems, trade finance, and company-level capacity.
AEIs Critical Threats Africa File posted on 11 June 2026 an article titled "Sudanese Political Dialogue" by Michael DeAngelo.
Political organizations aligned with the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) met in Addis Ababa in early June when they produced a roadmap for ending the civil war. Several key groups did not participate or did not accept the outcome, raising doubts whether any progress has been made in ending the war.
UN News published on 9 June 2026 an article titled "Sudan War: Drone Attacks Damage Key Aid Routes."
Escalating drone attacks on key roads and bridges in Darfur and Kordofan are disrupting humanitarian access in Sudan and putting civilians at further risk.
Global Witness published on 10 June 2026 a major report titled "Who Buys Rwanda's Smuggled Coltan? The Global Journey of Conflict Coltan from DRC to the World's Electronics."
Most of the conflict coltan mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo and smuggled through Rwanda is processed by companies in China. A few companies in Kazakhstan and Thailand are also involved. The refined tantalum often unwittingly ends up in the products of major Western companies.
Modern Diplomacy published on 21 May 2026 an article titled "Geology Meets Geopolitics: The Global Race for Critical Minerals in the Climate Transition" by Marta Rehnman, Trinity College Dublin.
China dominates the processing of critical minerals in Africa and Latin America. Beijing has mining partnerships with 44 African countries. But the United States and European Union are stepping up competition for unexploited mineral reserves in both Africa and Latin America.
Semafor published on 3 June 2026 an article titled "Africa's Leverage with China Is Growing" by Yinka Adegoke.
It's simple; China needs Africa's raw materials, especially critical minerals, to maintain its industrial output and export program.
Africa-Press published on 3 June 2026 an article titled "Tanzania: Historic Russia Visit Amid Tensions."
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan made an official visit to Russia 3-5 June, the first visit by a Tanzanian leader in over five decades. The visit takes place following disputed elections in Tanzania in October 2025, deteriorating relations with the West, and during Russia's war with Ukraine.
A June 2 article in Tanzania's Taufa Daily titled "10 Reasons President Samia's Russia Visit Is a Major Win for Tanzania" goes to considerable lengths to justify the timing of the visit.
The South China Morning Post published on 7 June 2026 an article titled "Chinese Medical Team Arrives in DR Congo to Help Fight Ebola, 'Filing US Void'" by Jevans Nyabiage.
China sent a small medical team to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it has significant interests in critical minerals, to combat the outbreak of Ebola. It is not clear, however, whether the effort will match the extensive contribution it made to combatting Ebola in West Africa in 2014-2016.
The International Crisis Group posted on 4 June 2026 a 26-minute podcast titled "Tiny Djibouti and Its Prime Real Estate" with Alan Boswell and Samson Abebe Bezabeh, University of Hong Kong.
They discuss Djibouti's role as a "garrison state," how it benefits from hosting foreign military bases, and why its strategic position may be changing as Ethiopia seeks alternative sea access.
The New York Times published on 6 June 2026 an article titled "As Ebola Spreads in East Africa, Will China Step Up?" by Lily Kuo and Stephanie Nolen.
The United States is playing a much smaller role in combatting Ebola in Africa than it has in previous outbreaks. China has made a modest contribution, but it is unclear how much Beijing is willing to do to help confront what could become the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history.
Afrobarometer posted on 1 June 2026 a news release titled "Majority of Seychellois Welcome the Influence of India and China, Favour Neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine War."
Favorable perceptions of China's influence on Seychelles have increased significantly in recent years while those of the United States have fallen. An overwhelming majority of Seychellois favor neutrality on Russia's war against Ukraine but more have a negative than positive perception of Russia's influence on Seychelles.
IntelliNews posted on 3 June 2026 an article titled "China's BYD Captures 35% of Africa's EV Market, as Latecomer Rival Tesla Bets on Morocco" by Brian Kenety.
Chinese automaker BYD Company Ltd. increased its African market share for electric vehicles (EVs) to 35 percent in 2025, up from 4 percent two years ago. Tesla is trying to break into the African market by focusing on Morocco.
The New York Times published on 4 June 2026 an article titled "What to Know About the Fighting in Somalia's Capital, Mogadishu" by Hussein Mohamed and Matthew Mpoke Bigg.
On 4 June, government forces began fighting militia groups loyal to two of the president's rivals in Mogadishu, resulting in the worst violence there in years. The clashes stemmed from Parliament's contentious decision to extend President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term of office for another year beyond its expiration date.
Strategic Horizons, a publication of the Air University, just published an edition that contains my article titled "China's Expanding Airpower in the Western Indian Ocean."
This is an in-depth analysis of China's evolving airpower posture across the Western Indian Ocean from Pakistan to the coast of Africa from Egypt to South Africa, including the island countries. It reflects research as of mid-2025
The Daily Post published on 1 June 2026 an article titled "15 Chinese Nationals, Nine Nigerians Docked Over Alleged Illegal Lithium Mining in Nasarawa" by Chris Johnson.
Nigeria has arraigned 15 Chinese nationals and 9 Nigerians for engaging in the unlawful extraction of lithium. It is one of the most significant arrests by Nigeria's Mining Marshals.
The International Crisis Group posted on 1 June 2026 a five and one-half minute video titled "Divided Sudan, Elusive Peace."
The video provides a good, summary update of the current situation in the Sudan conflict.
Xinhua published on 1 June 2026 an article titled "China Ready to Actively Assist DRC, Other African Countries Hit by Ebola."
China has announced it will provide humanitarian assistance and send medical teams to the DRC to combat Ebola. In 2014-2016, China played a significant role in combatting the Ebola outbreak in three West African countries. It is not clear if this contribution will be as extensive as China's engagement ten years ago.
The Daily Beast published on 1 June 2026 an article titled "Jaw-Dropping Brain Drain Under Trump Revealed" by Will Neal.
The Trump administration has either laid off or forced into retirement about 2,000 career diplomats since the beginning of 2025. This figure does not include foreign service personnel who were fired when the administration dismantled the US Agency for International Development.
More than half of US embassies do not have a Senate-confirmed ambassador and those that are staffed at the ambassadorial level include only 8 percent career ambassadors. The vast majority of American ambassadors today are financial contributors to the Trump campaign, close friends of the administration, or family members.
Africa Business Insight published on 29 May 2026 an article titled "South Africa Tightens Controls on Chinese Imports to Protect Local Industry" by Nana Oye Ankrah.
South Africa is introducing stricter controls on certain Chinese imports to curb the influx of low-cost and non-compliant products that undermine domestic production. South Africa is also taking these steps to balance trade with China, which consistently maintains a large surplus.
Ethiopia Insight published on 1 June 2026 a commentary titled "Washington's Ethiopia Reset Risks Rewarding Impunity" by Getachew Gebrekiros Temare.
The author argues Ethiopia is pursuing a transactional foreign policy with the United States and other major international players, playing one against another. He urges the United States engage in a responsible dialogue with Ethiopia that addresses serious unresolved security issues.
The China-Africa Security Radar published on 31 May 2026 a commentary titled "The Limits of Beijing's Embrace" by Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah.
African countries expecting China to come to their aid when experiencing security challenges should consider China's reaction to the seizure of President Maduro of Venezuela and the attack on Iran by the United States and Israel. Venezuela has a "strategic partnership" and Iran a "comprehensive strategic partnership" with China. What purpose did they serve?
The Committee to Protect Journalists published on 29 May 2026 an article titled "'Under the Shadow of Fear': Censorship Is Ethiopia's Real Election Story, Journalists Say."
Intimidation of the press is becoming the norm in the runup to Ethiopia's national elections. Numerous reporters have experienced a variety of challenges as they attempt to cover the elections.
AEIs Critical Threats Africa File published on 28 May 2026 an article titled "Fano Disrupts Ethiopian Elections" by Michael DeAngelo.
Fano militia has stepped up its attacks in Amhara Region as Ethiopia approaches national elections on June 1. The federal government announced it will not hold elections in at least 8 of Amhara's 138 constituencies due to insecurity.
