Blitz published on 24 May 2026 an article titled "Africa's Growing Appetite for Russian Grain Signals a New Economic Reality" by M.A. Hossain.
Russian grain exports to Africa are expanding at an unprecedented pace because of competitive pricing and a desire by African countries to diversify sourcing.
The Global Affairs Forum of the Africa Governance Centre, an independent think tank based in Accra, Ghana, is hosting a panel discussion on 7 May dealing with the implications of the Iran conflict for global stability and African strategic interests. It begins at 9:00 am Eastern Time in the United States and Canada. You can register for the event at this link.
The panelists are:
--Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, High Representative for Silencing the Guns, African Union
--Amb. David Shinn, adjunct professor of international affairs, George Washington University
--Dr. Isaac Olawale Albert, professor of African history, peace and conflict studies, University of Ibadan
--Dr. Victor Kofi Afetoriom Doke, research fellow and lecturer, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre
--Dr. Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah, postdoctoral fellow, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
teleSUR posted on 18 April 2026 an article titled "China Grants $14.6 Million to Seychelles to Fund Strategic Projects."
China recently provided 100 million yuan ($14.6 million) in grant assistance to Seychelles for infrastructure and food security projects.
Comment: While this is a modest amount for a grant aid contribution, the population of Seychelles is just over 100,000 and a modest sum can have a significant impact.
The South China Morning Post published on 19 April 2026 an article titled "China Steps Up Aid to Africa but Huge Funding Gap Left by Trump's Cuts Remains" by Jevans Nyabiage.
Large cuts in aid to Africa by the Trump administration (and other donors) have left major gaps in funding of essential programs. China has increased its health diplomacy and donations of food aid but has hardly made a dent in the gap left by Washington and several other donor countries.
The Guardian published on 9 March 2026 an investigative report titled "How the 'Galapagos of West Africa' Is Plundered by Floating Fish Factories" by Davide Mancini.
Floating Chinese-owned factory ships longer than a football field illegally process sardinella for fishmeal in the waters off Guinea-Bissau. The Chinese fishmeal factories are supported by Turkish purse seiners that illegally supply them with fish.
The offshore fish processing operation has both negative food security implications for the people of Guinea-Bissau and for artisanal fisherman in the country. Fish are the source of a third of animal protein consumed and the informal fishing industry employs 225,000 people from a population of 2.2 million.
The Rift Vally Institute published in October 2025 a study titled "Political Economy of Cash and Markets in Sudan" by Omer Egemi and Calum McLean.
Sudan is the world's largest displacement and humanitarian crisis. The study covers Khartoum, the political and economic hub of the country, and the two regions of Kordofan and Darfur in western Sudan during the period from February to April 2025.
Sudan's economy is largely controlled by warring parties, especially the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The study analyses the political economy dynamics shaping Sudan's crisis with particular focus on aspects affecting cash and markets.
Mizzima, a non-profit foundation that supports social change and development in Myanmar, published on 28 January 2026 a commentary titled "Weaponising the Trawl: China's Maritime Militia, Distant-Water Fishing, and the Strategic Contest in the Indian Ocean."
Chinese fishing fleets maintain a massive presence in the Indian Ocean region. What appears on the surface as fishing is, in practice, a grey-zone strategy, blending economic exploitation, intelligence gathering, and coercive presence to reshape the maritime realities without triggering open conflict.
In addition, see Sweekriti Pathak's "Fishing and Force: China's Dark Fleets and Maritime Militias" dated 29 January 2026 published by India's Observer Research Foundation.
The Hill published on 8 January 2026 a commentary titled "What Americans Lost in the Dismantling of USAID" by J. Brian Atwood and Andrew S. Natsios.
The dismantlement of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is resulting in numerous deaths globally, many of them due to setbacks in food security and health care. The authors, former directors of USAID, urge Congress to create a new cabinet level U.S. Department for International Aid by transferring foreign assistance programs from a dozen departments and agencies.
China Africa News published on 1 January 2026 an article titled "What's at Stake in 2026 for AU-China Cooperation?" by Cremilda Macuacua.
People-to-people exchanges, and training programs will highlight China-Africa relations in 2026. There will be a focus on health care, food security, rural development, and expanded trade.
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.
Xinhua published on 28 October 2025 an article titled "Chinese, African Experts Join Force to Advance Collaboration on Food Security, Agricultural Modernization."
Experts representing the China-Africa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance met in Addis Ababa in October where they focused on cooperation concerning Africa's food security and agricultural modernization.
Comment: This is an area where USAID once had the lead in Africa. Is the United States abandoning the field to China?
The International Crisis Group published on 28 April 2025 a paper titled "The Stakes of Stripping Climate from UN Peacekeeping in South Sudan" by Nazanine Moshiri.
The UN Security Council will soon vote on the future of the peacekeeping mission in conflict-impacted South Sudan. The paper discusses what is at stake and why climate and peace should remain part of the mission's work.
Springer published in 2024 an open access book titled "China-Africa Science, Technology and Innovation Collaboration" edited by Mammo Muchie, Angathevar Baskaran, and Mingfeng Tang.
The book is based on papers presented at a conference with the same title sponsored by the Chinese embassy in South Africa. About half of the authors are Chinese. The preface comments that "Africa must also learn from the great success China has achieved. There is a lesson Africa must learn how China managed to deal with and respond to external powers."
The chapters cover the following sectors:
--China-Africa Collaboration to Higher Education.
--China-Africa Research Collaboration and Training.
--China-Africa Collaboration in Agriculture, Food Security and Environmental Management.
--China-Africa Collaboration in Telecommunications and Space.
--Evolution of China-Africa Collaboration in Science, Technology and Innovation.
--China-Africa Collaboration in Digital Technologies.
--China-Africa Collaboration in Finance and Renewable Energy.
--China-Africa Collaboration in Health Sector.
--China-Africa Collaboration in Manufacturing.
The Wall Street Journal published on 8 October 2024 an article titled "South Sudan's Economic Crisis Is So Bad It's Taxing Its Only Lifeline" by Nicholas Bariyo.
South Sudan's economy is collapsing as a result of disruption to its oil exports, flooding, and mismanagement. The government has resorted to taxing international aid deliveries and supplies belonging to the UN peacekeeping operation that helps protect it.
The Conversation published on 12 September 2024 a commentary titled "Sudan Is Burning and Foreign Powers Are Benefiting--What's in It for the UAE" by May Darwich.
The author says that Egypt and Saudi Arabia support the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) while the UAE, Libya, and Russia support the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The UAE has joined forces with Russia to support the RSF through the mercenary Wagner Group. The RSF, in turn, acts as a custodian of the UAE's gold and agricultural interests in Sudan.
South Africa's Institute for Security Studies published on 26 June 2024 an analysis titled "Russia's Growing Influence in Africa Calls for More Balanced Partnerships" by Denys Reva.
Russia's efforts to expand its influence in Africa have fallen short for 3 reasons. First, its trade volume with Africa and especially its imports from Africa remain minimal. Second, Ukraine's success in ending Russia's naval blockade in the Black Sea eased export restrictions on grain in 2023. Third, the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit resulted in most African states opting for non-alignment. Russia's greatest success in Africa comes from its bilateral security agreements, including training and arms transfers.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute published in June 2024 a paper titled "Towards Humanitarian Action that Intentionally Promotes Peace in South Sudan" by Simone Bunse, Caroline Delgado, and Marie Riquier.
The paper proposes four theories of change for international peacebuilding. The first relates to livelihood opportunities and keeping children in school. The second concerns the connectedness between diverse ethnicities and communities through conflict-sensitive volunteerism. The third consists in helping socialized program volunteers transition into leadership roles for greater transformational impacts. The fourth involves vertical and horizontal integration with broader development and peacebuilding efforts.
The South China Morning Post published on 18 May 2024 an article titled "Africa Keen for More Development Finance, Despite Economically Bumpy Road Towards FOCAC Summit" by Jevans Nyabiage.
African and Chinese officials are developing the agenda for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit in Beijing. The Summit is occurring at a time when China-Africa economic relations are undergoing change. China's loans to African countries are down sharply while it tries to make up the reduction with foreign direct investment and trade.
The International Crisis Group published on 15 May 2024 a commentary titled "South Sudan on Edge as Its Neighbor's War Disrupts Oil Exports."
The civil war in Sudan has severely disrupted oil transported by pipeline from South Sudan to Port Sudan, depriving southerners of petrodollars, the government's main source of revenue. One of these pipelines, responsible for about two thirds of South Sudan's oil exports, broke down in February and will require months of complex repairs that must be made amid active combat.
South Sudan's government will run out of money and the national currency's value will plunge. Chronic food shortages will worsen, presaging renewed instability and fighting.
The Washington Post published on 17 April 2024 a fascinating story titled "The Survivor Species" by Chico Harlan, Rael Ombuor, and Malin Fezehai.
Having lost many of their cattle because of drought, traditional herders are turning to camels for milk. Resistant to climate change, camels may help save lives in the drought-stricken region of the Horn of Africa. The article offers outstanding color photographs and video montages from Samburu County, Kenya.
