People-to-People Solution to Tigray-Eritrea Differences?

 Ethiopia Insight published on 12 February 2026 a commentary titled "Can a People's Pact Heal a War of Elites?" by Giday Amare, a public servant in the health care sector.  

The author wants ordinary Tigrayans and Eritreans to come together at the people-to-people level in an effort to heal old wounds and overcome divisive actions of elites on both sides of the border.  

South Carolina Senator Has Alternative for African Students Headed for China

 South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and Republican candidate for President issued on 27 October 2023 a press release titled "Scott Pushes Back on China, Empowers American Students Through HBCU-Africa Partnership Act."

Scott, who is also ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health introduced the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)-Africa Partnership Act of 2023 to promote exchange opportunities between HBCUs and African partners.  Scott noted the act is designed in part to counter China's exchange program whereby more than 80,000 African students were studying in China in 2018.   

More Africans Learning Mandarin Add to China's Influence

CNN posted on 10 April 2019 a story titled "China's Influence in Africa Grows As More Young People Learn To Speak Mandarin" by Aanu Adeoye and Idris Mukhtar.

Increasingly, Mandarin is being taught in schools in Africa and on a part-time basis at Confucius Institutes, adding to China's influence on the continent. Nevertheless, only a tiny fraction of Africans speak Chinese as compared to French, English, Portuguese, and Arabic.

Sixth FOCAC: What is Africa Seeking from China

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) published on 19 November 2015 a commentary titled "Rebalancing an Unbalanced Relationship" by Peter Fabricius, ISS consultant.  The piece suggests that Africa wants help from China with infrastructure, investment, debt relief, industrialization, market access, science and technology transfer, cultural exchanges, agriculture, and education. 

China-South Africa Cultural Diplomacy

The South African Institute for International Affairs (SAIIA) published on 13 April 2015 a brief account titled "Cultural Diplomacy through 'China's Year in South Africa'" by Yu-Shan Wu, a researcher at SAIIA.

The author notes that the growing emphasis on cultural relations between China and South Africa requires coming to terms with some realities.  The first and most important is the need for more people-to-people exchanges as a basis for creating trust. 

China Radio International on China-Africa Relations

China Radio International (CRI) invited me to join two other panelists on 9 May 2014 for an hour long, wide ranging discussion of  China-Africa relations linked to the visit to Africa by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.  The other panelists were Victor Gao, former English-language interpreter for Chinese leaders and now a current affairs commentator, and Norbert Haguma, a Rwandan who is the CEO of Beijing-based Kiziga, which arranges for Africans to study in China. 

China-Africa: Cultural Exchange, Namibia, and Lessons from Pacific Islands

The November 2012 issue of The China Monitor published by the Centre for Chinese Studies at Stellenbosch University in South Africa contains the following articles:

--"What People, What Cultural Exchange? A Reflection on China-Africa" by Tu T. Huynh, Rhodes University in South Africa.

--"Grassroots Perceptions of China in Namibia: Effects on Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy" by Nelago Amadhila, Political Analysis South Africa Ltd.

--"China in the Pacific Islands: What Are the Lessons for Africa?" by Hilary Patroba, University of Cape Town.

Click here to access the November 2012 issue.