Artificial Intelligence in Africa and Cooperation with China and US

 Nanyang Technological University posted on 24 February 2026 an article titled "The State of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Africa" by Amit Jain.

This is a nice summary of the current state of artificial intelligence in Africa, the sectors that are most likely to benefit in the coming years, and the countries that are best positioned to take advantage of it. 

The Georgetown Journal of International Affairs published on 7 February 2026 an article titled "The United States, China, and AI Competition in Africa: Lessons for the Global South" by Alice Chen and Neel U. Sukhalme.  

This article (also posted below on 11 February) is a useful addition to this topic, which is fast becoming important to Africa's development.  

Zambians Demand Compensation Following Toxic Spill by Chinese Company

 Business Insider Africa published on 1 September 2025 an article titled "One of Zambia's Worst Toxic Spills Draws in Compensation Demand for $420 Million" by Chinedu Okafor.  

Zambian communities impacted by a spill of toxic chemicals in February are demanding $420 million in damages from a subsidiary of China Nonferrous Mining Co.  The spill occurred when a waste dam collapsed at a copper-processing plant.  

A Former Republican USAID Administrator: Don't Gut the Organization

 Foreign Affairs published on 7 February 2025 an article titled "Don't Gut USAID" by Andrew Natsios, administrator of USAID during the George W. Bush administration.  

The author argues the Trump administration stop work order for USAID has paralyzed US aid programs around the world, bankrupting fragile local aid groups and small businesses and putting lives at risk.  Simply slashing vital programs is a huge mistake, but a far-reaching review and restructuring of US foreign aid is overdue.  If USAID disappears, the Trump administration will cede the field to China and Russia.  

American Foreign Aid: Where It Goes and Why

 The Wall Street Journal published on 10 February 2025 an article titled "How Much the U.S. Spent on Foreign Aid--and Where It Went" by Gabriele Steinhauser and Ming Li.

This is a useful analysis of the money spent by the United States Agency for International Development that the Trump administration is in the process of dismantling. It explains where the money goes, how it compares to foreign aid from other countries, how it is distributed, and which countries receive most of it.  

Impact of USAID Dismantlement on Africa

 The New York Times published on 8 February 2025 an article titled "'We Are in Disbelief': Africa Reels as U.S. Aid Agency Is Dismantled" by Declan Walsh. 

The collapse of USAID at the hands of Elon Musk and the Trump Administration is causing African governments to wonder how they will fill gaping holes in vital health and education services.  This action is also doing irreparable damage to US policy and interests on the continent.  

China-Africa Science and Technology Collaboration

 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.

China's Agenda at the Forum on China Africa Cooperation

 The China Global South Project published in August 2024 an analysis titled "China's Agenda at FOCAC 2024: Climate, Connectivity & Coalitions" by Cobus van Staden.

This report looks at the China-Africa relationship from the Chinese perspective as the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) approaches in September.  It explains why Africa matters to China, where the relationship currently stands, and what China's priorities will be at FOCAC.

Aljazeera Podcast Panel on US Africa Policy and the Kenyan President's Visit

 Aljazeera's Inside Story posted on 24 May 2024 a 27-minute panel program titled "What Do African Countries Stand to Gain from William Ruto's US Visit?"

The panel consisting of two persons in Nairobi and one in Washington discussed a range of issues concerning President Willim Ruto's state visit to the United States and US policy in Africa.  The moderator also focused on competition the United States is facing from China and Russia in Africa. 

Environmental Cost of Cobalt Mining in the DRC: Chinese and European Companies

 RAID in collaboration with African Resources Watch published in March 2024 a detailed report titled "Beneath the Green: A Critical Look at the Environmental and Human Costs of Industrial Cobalt Mining in DRC."

The report found that the rivers, lakes, streams, groundwater, and wetlands near the DRC's cobalt and copper mines are severely polluted by mining activities.  The mining companies in the study were all large European or Chinese multinationals.  

Chinese companies and China loom especially large in this study as China accounts for about 60 percent of global passenger electric vehicle sales and is the biggest global consumer of cobalt with more than 80 percent being used to manufacture rechargeable batteries.  About 65 percent of global refined cobalt is produced in China-based facilities.  Chinese investment now backs about 70 percent of the DRC's mining sector.  

South Africa's Perceptions of China's Belt and Road Initiative

 South Africa's Institute for Global Dialogue published in November 2023 a policy brief titled "South Africa's Perceptions of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)."

The study concludes that the South African government has not been able to create its own strategy for how it wants to engage the BRI based on strengthening the bilateral engagement with China, defining a coherent communication engagement, and capacity to develop an implementation framework on BRI projects.  

China's Diplomatic Tools for Increasing Influence in Africa

 Modern Diplomacy published on 6 November 2023 a commentary titled "How Diplomacy Reinforces China's Political Influence in Africa" by Daouda Cisse.

The commentary looks at the way China uses diplomacy to increase its political influence in Africa.  It does so through FOCAC, encouraging favorable votes in the United Nations, emphasizing cooperation with the Global South, health diplomacy, and developing relationships between the Communist Party of China and African political parties.

China-Africa Medical Cooperation

 Lund University's Global China Pulse most recent edition is devoted to China's global medical cooperation.  It contains the following two articles on medical engagement in Africa:

--The Politics of Care: Unveiling the Dynamics of Chinese Medical Labour in Algeria, 1960s--1980s

--From 'Medical Revolution' to Techno-Politics: The Transformation of Chinese Medical Teams in Zanzibar

Detailed UN Report on Humanitarian Assistance Reaching Sudan

 The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) published on 7 September 2023 a detailed account titled "Sudan Situation Report."

The report documents the humanitarian requirements for Sudan as a result of the ongoing conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and steps taken by the international community to meet those needs.  For the first time since the conflict began in mid-April, humanitarian convoys reached North Darfur and South Darfur.

UNOCHA noted that it has received in 2023 $676 million in funding for Sudan.  The United States has provided $380 million of the amount or well over half.  

The State of Migration in East and Horn of Africa

 The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the East African Community (EAC) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) recently published the 172 page report titled "The State of Migration in East and Horn of Africa" for 2022.   

The focus of the report, written by 50 authors and contributors from the region, is the mobility dimensions of regional integration.  It takes stock of achievements and challenges in advancing regional integration and human mobility in East Africa and the Horn of Africa,

The report concludes that while several bottlenecks to advancing regional integration and mobility persist including unequal socio-economic conditions in and between states, fear and misperceptions of opening borders, infrastructural and border management capacity gaps, the benefits of regional integration and human mobility far outweigh the costs.

Eritrea-China Medical Cooperation

 Eritrea's Ministry of Information posted on 14 December 2022 a statement titled "Eritrea-China Medical Cooperation: A Quarter Century of Progress" by Fikrejesus Amahazion.

The article commemorates 25 years of Chinese medical teams assigned to Eritrea.  Since 1997, fifteen Chinese medical teams, comprising well over 200 doctors and health professionals, have worked in Eritrea.

China-Africa Knowledge Networks

 The Social Science Research Council published in December 2022 a major study titled "Africa-China Knowledge Networks: State of the Field" by Annalisa Bolin, Tatiana Carayannis, Lucas Niewenhuis, and Gino Vlavonou.  

The study looks at work done on the following research themes: geo-economics, peace and security, migration, health and environment, and media, the internet and technology.  A lengthy appendix provides information on China-Africa research centers in Africa, China, and the rest of the world.  

World Bank Rewards and Warns Ethiopia

 The Addis Standard published on 15 December 2022 an article titled "WB Emphasizes Importance of Ending Ethiopia's Internal Conflict, Full Implementation of Peace Agreement, Board Approves $745 m Grant."

The World Bank approved $745 million in grants for health systems and flood management in Ethiopia.  The Bank also emphasized the importance of ending internal conflict and achieving lasting peace.  

Is US-China Cooperation Possible on African Health Issues?

 The Hill published on 21 August 2022 a commentary titled "Can the US and China Cooperate on African Health Priorities?" by Georgia Nichols, Department of Education African languages fellow, and Mark C. Storella, Boston University and former US ambassador to Zambia.  

In spite of the tension in US-China relations, the authors argue that the US should leave the door open to China for cooperation on African health issues, especially the African Union's effort to develop an African Medicines Agency.  

The Impact of COVID-19 on China-South Africa Relations

 World Affairs in its fall 2022 edition published an article titled "COVID-19 and South Africa-China Asymmetric Relations" by Adeoye O. Akinola and Oluwaseun Tella, both at the University of Johannesburg.

The article explores South Africa-China relations in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The authors argue that Beijing's response to COVID-19 raises more questions than it answers.  The outbreak of the virus in China, its response, and emerging cases of racism and xenophobia against Africans in China also raise concerns about the future of South Africa-China relations.

China-Burkina Faso Relations

 The South China Morning Post published on 25 July 2022 an article titled "China-Africa Relations: Beijing's Ambassador to Burkina Faso Works to Make Up Ground on Delayed Projects" by Jevans Nyabiage.  

Since Burkina Faso reestablished diplomatic relations with China in 2018 Beijing has encountered numerous challenges in strengthening the relationship, including completion of promised development projects.  China's new ambassador in Ouagadougou has a full plate.