South Sudan's President Dissolves Government

 The BBC posted on 23 September 2026 an article titled "South Sudan's President Dissolves Government Ahead of Country's First Elections" by Nichola Mandil, Akisa Wandera, and Allan Olingo.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir dissolved the transitional government three months before the country's first election since its independence in 2011. Kiir removed the country's five vice presidents and dissolved parliament, national, and state governments.  Kiir has no viable opposition in the December election.

China's Think Tank Diplomacy in Africa

 India's Observer Research Foundation published on 9 July 2025 an analysis titled "China's Think Tank Diplomacy in Africa" by Samir Bhattacharya.

China launched the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum (CATTF) in 2011, convening delegates from 27 African countries.  CATTF serves as a permanent platform for dialogue and exchange between Chinese and African think tanks.  

Xi Jinping has significantly expanded this initiative.  Most of its activities are carefully orchestrated by China's state apparatus.  Beijing's goal is to project China's world view, governance model, and developmental practices.  

Exporting the China Model to Africa

 The South China Morning Post published on 18 September 2024 an article titled "How China Is Showing Its Development and Governance Experience" by Jevans Nyabiage.

China has stepped up its efforts to export its governance and development model to countries in Africa.  At the level of African ruling political parties, there is the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology in Zimbabwe, which China refurbished and where it provides training.  An even better example is the CPC-funded Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Tanzania for the ruling political parties in Tanzania, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.  

Sudan's Protest Movement Calls for Civilian Government Not Power-sharing

 The Washington Post published on 6 November 2021 an article titled "Sudan Activists Reject Power-sharing with Army, Call Strikes" by Fay Abuelgaasim and Samy Magdy.

Following the military coup d'etat in Sudan, the protest movement has now rejected the internationally backed effort to return to a power-sharing arrangement with the military and, instead, is calling for the direct establishment of civilian government.

Impact of Violence and Food Insecurity in South Sudan

 The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 13 September 2021 a paper titled "10 Years after Independence South Sudan Faces Persistent Crisis."

Forced displacement leading to refugees and IDPs of a third of South Sudan's population and a conflict-driven food crisis threatening more than half of all South Sudanese underscores the grave human cost of the country's destructive politics.

Ethiopia: From Rule to Responsibility

 Ethiopia Insight published on 27 October 2020 a commentary titled "From Rule to Responsibility: The Path Forward for Ethiopia" by Jack Bryan who grew up in Addis Ababa and lives and works there.

The author focuses on rule, rights, and responsibility in Ethiopian governance.  He concludes that only by espousing a strong sense of responsibility will Ethiopia be able to move away from a history of centralized rule and fully realize the rights that are now the basis for volatility and violence.  Responsibility means working to find commonalities in the face of differences.

Building South Sudan from Scratch

The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training just posted an oral history interview titled "Building a Country from Scratch--The South Sudanese Transition to Independence (2005-2011)." This is an interview with Gerald Hyman in 2016 based on his experience as a USAID officer in South Sudan until 2007. He signaled concerns that South Sudan was not ready for independence.