Chinese Construction Company Under Fire in Nigeria

 Nigeria's Newstimes published on 8 February 2026 an article titled "FG Issues Deadlines to Chinese Road Contractors."

The government of Nigeria warned China Harbour Engineering Company and its sister firm, China Harbour Engineering and Maintenance Company, that it has received complaints of substandard work, slow mobilization, and environmental hazards on key road projects across the country.  The government called on the Chinese companies to take remedial measures, adding it would no longer tolerate poor execution, undue delays, or disregard for contractual standards.

The Complexities of the China-Libya Relationship

 The ChinaMed Project published on 30 January 2026 an analysis titled "China and the Libyan Crisis: Maintaining a Foot in the Door in a Changing Region" by Bianca Pasquier and Leonardo Bruni.  

This paper revisits the past decade of Chinese engagement in Libya, tracing Beijing's evolving relations with the country's factions and situating them within a regional context.  It concludes that China is unlikely to engage deeply in Libya's power struggles.  Beijing will likely keep its options open, be present but uncommitted.  

Libya Briefly Suspends and Then Allows Huawei to Resume Operations

 The Libyan News Agency posted on 20 August 2025 an article titled "The Telecommunications Authority Announces Its Agreement with Huawei Libya to Ensure the Continuation of Its Activities."

Libya's Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli announced in mid-August that it had suspended the activities of Huawei Libya for violating national and international laws and to ensure the protection of national security.  The Authority said Huawei had engaged in illegal contracts with illegitimate entities in the country.  Several days later, the GNU reached an agreement with Huawei Libya to ensure the continuation of its activities in accordance with applicable legislation.  

Potential State Loses Because of USAID Dismantlement

 Friends of the US Agency for International Development created a website that tracks on a state-by-state basis what US-based organizations stand to lose if USAID contracts and assistance are terminated as most of them will be.  The biggest losers are non-governmental organizations, universities, and companies in Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and California.  

Turkey-Africa Relations

 The Foreign Policy Research Institute published on 10 March 2025 an analysis titled "Turkey's Return to Africa" by Raphael Parens and Marcel Plichta.  

Turkey sees Africa as a core part of its global political and economic engagement and a source of support in international organizations.  Africa also provides critical raw materials and minerals for Turkish companies and markets for contractors, including Turkey's version of Russia's Wagner Group known as SADAT.  

The Trump Administration Formally Kills USAID

 Foreign Policy published on 10 March 2025 an article titled "USAID Purge Ends with 83 Percent of Programs Canceled" by Christian Lu.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced 10 March on X that the Trump administration has terminated 83 percent of USAID programs.  Rubio said this involved cancelation of 5,200 contracts that did not serve and in some cases even  US national interests.  

USAID Projects Shutting Down in Africa and Across Globe

 The Associated Press published on 1 March 2025 an article titled "USAID Cuts Are Already Hitting Countries Around the World.  Here Are 20 Projects that Have Closed" by Sam Mednick, Wilson McMakin, and Monika Pronczuk.  

USAID terminated some 10,000 contracts on 26 February with non-governmental organizations around the world.  This article lists 20 projects--half of them in Africa--that have closed already.  

China-Tunisia Economic Relations in Decline

 Chinamed Data recently posted a series of charts that track China-Tunisia economic relations.  They demonstrate a decline in Chinese investment stock in Tunisia, fewer Chinese contract workers in the country, less contracts awarded to Chinese companies, and declining Tunisian exports to China.  The only category that increased was Chinese exports to Tunisia, which reached $2 billion in 2023 compared with only $250 million dollars of Tunisian exports to China.  

China-Africa Economic Dispute Settlement

 The Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business published in the spring of 2023 a research article titled "Trends in China-Africa Economic Relations and Dispute Settlement" by Won Kidane, Villanova University School of Law.

While trade relations between China and Africa are theoretically subject to the same multilateral World Trade Organization rules, they are in practice mostly based on informal unilateral concessions.  Moreover, investment relations are partially governed by fragmented and mostly outdated bilateral investment treaties, and commercial relations are formalized by ad hoc contractual instruments of diverse origin and deployment.  

Charting China's Relations with Countries in North Africa and the Horn of Africa

 The China-Med Index for North Africa and the Horn of Africa consists of a series of interactive charts for most of the 21st century on China's general imports from countries in the region, general exports to countries in the region, mutual energy dependence, contracts awarded to Chinese companies, Chinese workers in countries in the region, China's foreign direct investment in each country, and China's contribution of troops to UN peacekeeping operations.  In the most recent years, all of the charts demonstrate lower numbers than their peak years.  

The index includes the following countries: Algeria, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Tunisia.  The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation supported publication of the data.  

Morocco-China Relations

 The ChinaMed Project published on 26 October 2023 a commentary titled "Morocco Looks at Its Relations with China: Between the Earthquake and the Diplomatic Celebrations" by Mariateresa Natuzzi and Lea Gebuhrer.

Morocco is actively seeking to strengthen its ties with China but recognizes the continued importance of the European market for its economy.  Since 2001, Chinese exports to Morocco have risen sharply while Moroccan exports to China have risen only modestly, resulting in huge trade deficits for Morocco.  

Chinese Environmental, Social, and Governance Practices in Africa

 The South African Institute of International Affairs published in August 2023 a study titled "Elevating ESG: Empirical Lessons on Environmental, Social and Governance Implementation of Chinese Projects in Africa" by Cecilia Springer, Keyi Tang, Christoph Nedopil, Chris Alden, and Cobus van Staden.  

The study assesses the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices of Chinese financed infrastructure projects in Egypt, Nigeria, and Ethiopia within the context of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.  It concludes that Chinese financiers and regulators should take steps to guarantee awareness of and compliance with ESG rules by small- and medium-sized Chinese companies operating in Africa.  

Algerian President on Visit to China

 Al-Monitor published on 17 July 2023 an article titled "China Eyes Algerian Oil and Gas as It Receives Tebboune in Beijing" by Jack Dutton.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is visiting China following an official visit to Russia, demonstrating close ties to both countries.  Tebboune hopes to obtain more investment from China in the energy sector and seek support for joining the BRICS.  

The Future of the Wagner Group in Africa

 Deutsche Welle published on 30 June 2023 an article titled "Wagner Group in Africa: What's Its Future after the Mutiny?" by Philipp Sandner.  

Russia's position on the Wagner Group in Africa is becoming more nuanced.  Now Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is saying that the future of Wagner's contracts in Africa depends on the African nations that have sought their services.  At the same time, this is a lucrative business for Russia that it does not want to lose.  Wagner also operates with many shell companies that it can rebrand or manipulate.   

Chinese Investments and Contracts In Africa Flat or in Decline

 Andrea Ghiselli, Fudan University, posted on Twitter on  15 May 2023 four charts concerning China's investment and contracts in Sub-Saharan Africa through 2021.

Chinese FDI stock in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked in 2018 and then flatlined.  The value of construction and engineering contracts for Chinese companies in Sub-Saharan Africa mostly flatlined since 2014.  The number of Chinese contract workers in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked in 2014 and has been declining since.  

Africa-China: Natural Resources, Markets and Votes (in French)

 Geostrategiques published in March 2023 an article titled "Afrique-Chine: Des Ressources Naturelles, des Marches et des Votes" by Thierry Pairault. 

Chinese foreign direct investment in Africa is modest, which limits its role in manufacturing and industrialization.  China is a major, but diminishing, source of loans for infrastructure projects and Africa's largest trading partner.   

DRC Reviewing Chinese Mining Contracts

 The East African published on 11 April 2023 an article titled "DR Congo to Audit and Review 'Unfair' Chinese Mining Contracts" by Patrick Ilunga.

The DRC has begun to review mining contracts with Chinese companies to ensure improved revenue collection.  Chinese companies have earned at least $10 billion from contracts in the past decade while the DRC has benefitted from only $822 million of infrastructure construction.  

China, Africa, and the Debt Service Suspension Initiative

 The China-Africa Research Initiative published in April 2023 a study titled "Integrating China into Multilateral Debt Relief: Progress and Problems in the G20 DSSI" by Deborah Brautigam and Yufan Huang.  

The study evaluates China's participation in a major multilateral experiment in sovereign debt management: the G-20s COVID-19 Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI).  The authors argue, with some caveats, that the DSSI was a success.  

First, it succeeded in providing a pathway for China, the world's largest bilateral creditor, to negotiate debt treatments together with the Paris Club in the Common Framework.  Second, China fulfilled its role fairly well as a responsible G-20 stakeholder.  Finally, the DSSI pushed the Chinese government to align interests among fragmented banks and bureaucracies with conflicting goals.   

China-Algeria Relations Stuck in Neutral

 The People's Map of Global China posted on 13 January 2023 a survey titled "Algeria" by Tin Hinane el Kadi.  

Despite China's historically important relationship with Algeria, the Belt and Road Initiative has yet to lead to significant investments or job opportunities in the country.  

Relative Importance of Africa to China

 Geopolitical Monitor published on 5 December 2022 an analysis titled "China-Africa Relations in Review" by Thierry Pairault.  

The author untangles the common confusion involving China's investing, financing, and providing services in Africa.  He concludes that China is economically important to Africa but Africa is not economically important to China.  On the other hand, because of their 54 votes in the UN General Assembly African countries are politically important to China.  By economically and financially assisting African countries, China is building a clientele of dependent countries that provide it with political support.