The Diplomat published on 24 July 2026 a commentary titled "As the World Courts Beijing, Namibia Shows How Africa Can Sharpen Its China Strategy" by Huiyi Chen and Ovigwe Eguegu.
Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah made a weeklong state visit to China in early July. She arrived with a clear agenda, negotiated a Namibia-relevant itinerary, and left with numerous tangible agreements. The authors urge other African leaders to follow her example.
USA Today published on 19 July 2026 an opinion piece titled "Reduction in US State Department Staff Was Purge in Diplomacy" by Elizabeth "Liz" Colton.
The Trump administration's dismissal of diplomacy and purge of the State Department have resulted in the predictable negative impact on US foreign policy.
Foreign Policy published on 8 July 2026 an article titled "Marco Rubio Burned Down the House to Fix a Sink" by Amanda Klasing, Amnesty International.
Secretary of State Rubio has led an assault on human rights in American statecraft by slashing humanitarian aid, decimating human rights programs, gutting human rights offices and bureaus, disengaging from global human rights systems at the United Nations and elsewhere, and threatening international justice mechanisms.
He has also changed the guidelines for the State Department's annual, global human rights reports by prioritizing political agendas over consistent accounting of human rights violations around the world.
Ethiopia's Capital published on 12 July 2026 an op-ed titled "A 105-year Journey of Struggle: The Code of China's Development and a New Chapter in China-Africa Cooperation" by Ambassador Jiang Feng, head of China's mission to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The op-ed begins: "On July 1st, the Communist Party of China (CPC) marked the 105th anniversary of its founding. For the Chinese people, it is an important occasion to reflect on the nation's journey of struggle and achievement while looking ahead to the bright prospects. For our African friends who are interested in China's development, it also offers an important opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the key to China's development."
The op-ed continues to praise the progress made by the CPC and suggests that China's model of development offers lessons for African countries.
Comment: The Mission of China to the African Union website posted the same op-ed on 7 July. It is not clear if Capital published the op-ed because it considered the ambassador's remarks newsworthy or there was some other incentive.
Fana Fact Check published on 7 July 2026 an article titled "AU, Russia Commitment to Deeper Partnership, Advance Africa-Led Solutions to Global Challenges."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf in Addis Ababa on 7 July. They expressed agreement on numerous mutual issues of concern and on many AU policies and goals.
Comment: There were no commitments of tangible Russian assistance to the African Union or the challenges it faces in Africa today.
The Sudan Tribune published on 8 July 2026 an article titled "Ethiopia Faces No Threat from Regional Alliance, PM Abiy Says."
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed dismissed concerns over an alleged growing alliance of Eritrea, Sudan, and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, noting that his country is improving its defensive capabilities.
The Foreign Service Journal published in its July/August 2026 edition an article titled "When America Went Silent: The Strategic Costs of Dismantling VOA" by Elez Biberaji, 43-year veteran of VOA.
The effort by the Trump administration to shut down the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which operates the Voice of America and sister media outlets, has eroded America's capacity to shape global understanding and ceded influence to competitors who weaponize information.
The Washingtonian published on 2 July 2026 an article titled "Reviving Voice of America Will be Difficult, Insiders Say" by Ike Allen.
As a result of a court decision and some funding by Congress, VOA is trying to return to service. But only about 200 of its former 2,000 employees are at work and its effort is limited to a few languages.
The Trump administration is appealing the court order to restart VOA operations, and the matter is in limbo. The situation at the VOA headquarters in downtown Washington has deteriorated so much that some fired staff believe it will not be possible to revive the organization, at least not during the Trump administration.
The Sudan Tribune published a report dated 29 June 2026 titled "China Forgives $50 Million of Sudan's Debt to Ease Economic Strain."
Sudan and China signed on 28 June an agreement to cancel about $50 million in four interest-free loans that China had provided to Sudan.
Comment: China and Sudan have made much of this debt cancellation. It is important to put it in perspective. At the end of 2023, Sudan's total external debt stood at $66.8 billion. According to AIDDATA, a research lab at William & Mary, Sudan's debt to China at the end of 2021 totaled $18 billion. (See page 392 of the AIDDATA report here.)
While any debt cancellation for Sudan is a welcome development, this particular decision does not even scratch the surface of Sudan's debt problem.
The Torino World Affairs Institute published in 2026 a study titled "The Sino-Moroccan Rapprochement: An Analysis of Geoeconomic Convergence, Diplomatic Calibration and Media Narratives in a Changing Maghreb" by Bianca Pasquier and Imane Ezzehouany, edited by Amanda Chen and Leonardo Bruni.
The study concludes that by deepening its engagement with China, Morocco is reengineering its agency and room for maneuver while maintaining its traditional ties with the United States and Europe. China's economic presence in the Kingdom, albeit still limited compared to European and Gulf partners in overall investment terms, has rapidly expanded in industrial sectors critical for the green transition and the restructuring of global value chains.
The Third World Quarterly published on 17 June 2026 a research article titled "Navigating Cooperation with Great Powers: Elite Perceptions of U.S. and Chinese Economic Engagement in Ghana in the Twenty-first Century" by Monika Rozalska, Paulina Matera, and Bartosz Kowalski.
This study is based on in-depth interviews with a limited sample--22 Ghanaian university professors, government officials, and non-governmental leaders. It concludes that both China and the United States engage in neocolonial practices to varying degrees. While both countries promote development, it is questionable whether their activities align with Ghanaian priorities. Beijing and Washington emphasize access to raw materials over empowering local industrial development. As a result, Ghana pursues a policy of balance towards the United States and China.
Daily News Egypt published on 10 June 2026 an article titled "Egypt, Eritrea Say Red Sea Security Is Exclusive Responsibility of Littoral States."
The foreign ministers of Egypt and Eritrea, meeting in Cairo, recently stressed that the security and management of the Red Sea remain the exclusive responsibility of its littoral states, completely rejecting any attempts by non-littoral parties to impose security arrangements or to impose their maritime access in violation of the provisions of international law.
Comment: This comment is clearly aimed at landlocked Ethiopia, which is trying to obtain an outlet to the Red Sea.
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 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.
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.
CNN published on 16 May 2026 an article titled "As Global Crises Multiply, Scores of US Diplomats Say They Have Been Forced Out" by Jennifer Hansler.
An estimated 2,000 Foreign Service officers have been forced out or left by their own choice the U.S. Department of State in the past year. Of 195 ambassadorial positions overseas, 115 are currently vacant, an unprecedented situation this late in an administration.
This hollowing out of the State Department will have far reaching implications for the ability of the United States to project power and deliver on its foreign policy priorities.
The ChinaMed Project published on 7 May 2026 an analysis titled "From Neutrality to Strategic Ambiguity: China and the Western Sahara Conflict" by Imane Ezzehouany, Bianca Pasquier, and Amanda Chen.
This analysis examines the evolution of China's position on the Western Sahara and the growing tension between diplomatic neutrality, geoeconomics, and geopolitical competition in the Maghreb. The rapid expansion of Sino-Moroccan relations in recent years raise questions whether Beijing may be adopting a calibrated ambiguity compatible with Morocco's autonomy plan, allowing China to safeguard its strategic interests without incurring meaningful political costs.
The Wall Street Journal published on 22 April 2026 an article titled "U.S. Seeks to Reset Ties with Reclusive but Strategically Vital African State" by Robbie Gramer and Summer Said.
The Trump administration is exploring ways to reset relations with Eritrea, beginning with the lifting of sanctions. The administration's special envoy for Africa, Massad Boulos, first met with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki late last year in Cairo.
The US war in Ian has elevated the importance of freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, where Eritrea has a long coastline.
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 Emirates Policy Center published on 27 March 2026 an analysis titled "Exacerbating the Risk of Fragility: Consequences of Iran War on the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa Region."
The Horn of Africa and Red Sea may become an arena for escalating regional and international conflict as Iran seeks to expand its confrontation with the US and Israel. It could escalate existing local conflicts, intensify competition by regional powers such as Türkiye and Egypt, and cause a recalibration of foreign policy alignments.
Europe Says posted on 10 March 2026 an article titled "China's Geely Expands Satellite Partnerships with Morocco, Algeria."
China's Geely Auto and its aerospace division, Time Space Daoyu Technology Company, signed separate partnership agreements with Morocco and Algeria to strengthen satellite-related technology and infrastructure.
In Algeria, the cooperation focuses on building domestic aerospace manufacturing capacity. In Morocco, the emphasis is on satellite connectivity services rather than manufacturing.
