Ethiopia: Seeking Unity in Tigray Region

 Ethiopia Insight published on 11 October 2025 a commentary titled "'National Unity for Survival': From Words to Action" by Abrar Fitwi, Saint Mary's College in Indiana.  

The author argues that Tigrayans can achieve unity only if they pursue a path that includes a reformed political program, credible leadership, a non-partisan army, and independent judiciary, media, and other institutions.  

Ethiopia Insight published on 30 October 2025 a commentary titled "A Rejoinder to Abrar Fitwi's 'National Unity for Survival'" by Ermias Amare, an Ethiopian-American architect in New Jersey.  

The author concludes that the "TPLF is too deformed to be reformed."

Trump Administration Considers Merging US Africa Command into European Command

 Micro Soft Network (MSN) published on 25 February 2025 an article titled "President Trump's Plan to Dismantle U.S. Africa Command Under Review" by Victor Oluwole.  

The Trump administration is considering an executive action to dismantle the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and transfer its responsibilities to the U.S. European Command (EUCOM).  This was the organizational structure prior to 2007, although the primary goal now seems to be a desire to eliminate the command in order to downsize engagement in Africa.   

China-Africa Ties after 9th FOCAC

 Boston University's Global Development Policy Center posted on 15 October 2024 an analysis titled "Back in Action: The Ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Sees Renewed Relations and Development Prospects" by Tianyi Wu.  

This is an analysis of the recently completed 9th FOCAC held in Beijing.  This iteration of FOCAC suggested that China seeks to adjust its approach to Africa by forging strategic partnerships, compartmentalizing financial tools for development projects, and aligning its engagement with regional multilateral initiatives.

China's Relations with Africa: A New Era of Strategic Engagement

 The March 2024 issue of The Journal of Modern African Studies published a review by Padraig Carmody of our book, China's Relations with Africa: A New Era of Strategic Engagement.  

Russia Steps Up Diplomatic Blitz in Africa

 Critical Threats published on 6 June 2024 an analysis titled "Russian Diplomatic Blitz Advances the Kremlin's Strategic Aims in Africa" by Liam Karr.

High-level Russian officials are meeting with Russian partners across Africa, seeking to advance the Kremlin's strategic goals of projecting greater Russian influence to supplant the West and better positioning Russia for prolonged confrontation with the West.

Russia is trying to create a pro-Russian bloc that advances its military, economic, and political goals in Africa in the Alliance of Sahel States (Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger).  It is pursuing this program with very modest economic resources and vulnerabilities that eventually risk backfiring.  

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.  

Where Will China Locate Future Naval Bases?

 AidData, a research lab at William & Mary, published in July 2023 a study titled "Harboring Global Ambitions: China's Ports Footprint and Implications for Future Overseas Naval Bases" by Alexander Wooley, Sheng Zhang, Rory Fedorochko, and Sarina Patterson.  

At the moment, China's only naval base outside China is located in Djibouti.  The study provides a shortlist of the most likely basing options in the order in which they might be prioritized by Beijing.  Four of the eight ports on the short list are located in Africa.

The eight prospects in priority order are:

--Hambantota, Sri Lanka

--Bata, Equatorial Guinea

--Gwadar, Pakistan

--Kribi, Cameroon

--Ream, Cambodia

--Luganville, Vanuatu

--Nacala Mozambique

--Nouakchott, Mauritania

Measuring China's Influence in Africa

 Doublethink Lab and the China in the World network have published a cross-regional ranking to measure China's overseas influence through comparable data titled "China Index 2022: Measuring PRC Influence Around the Globe."  It looks at 82 countries, including 11 in Africa, evaluating the following 9 domains: academia, domestic politics, economy, foreign policy, law enforcement, media, military, society, and technology.

The African country ranked as having the highest amount of Chinese influence was South Africa, tied with Peru for position number 5.  Other African countries had the following rankings: Nigeria (14), Egypt (17), Tanzania (18), Ghana (20), Kenya (22), Zambia (46), Sierra Leone (47), Gambia (50), Ethiopia (56), and Senegal (74).  By comparison, the United States ranked number 21.  

China Responds to Military Coup in Gabon

 Turkey's Anadolu news agency published on 30 August 2023 an article titled "China Calls for Safety of Gabon's President Following Military Coup."

China, like many other countries, is struggling with the right response to a string of military coups in Africa, the most recent in Gabon.  A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson called "on all sides in Gabon to proceed from the basic interests of the country and the people, resolve differences through dialogue, and restore normal order as soon as possible."

Algeria Partners with China to Produce Heavy Weapons

 Military Africa published on 28 June 2023 an article titled "Algeria Embarks on Manufacturing Heavy Chinese Weaponry."

Algeria has entered into a partnership with China that will enable it to manufacture heavy Chinese weaponry under license.  The weapons include the CS/LM5 and CS/LM12-M1 multi-barrel rotary machine guns and the LG5/QLU-11 automatic grenade launcher.  Algeria intends to become self-reliant in producing advanced weaponry.  

Tension Builds between Rapid Support Forces and National Army in Sudan

 The Associated Press published on 13 April 2022 an article titled "Sudan's Military Warns of Conflict after Rival Force Deploys" by Jack Jeffery.

Sudan's national army warned of potential clashes with the powerful paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which it said deployed troops in Khartoum and other cities.  Tension between the national army and the RSF is at an all time high.  

Analysis of China's Global Security Initiative

 The European Union Institute for Security Studies published in March 2023 a paper titled "China's Global Security Initiative: When the Process Matters More Than the Content" by Alice Ekman.  

China's Global Security Initiative (GSI) is a label under which Beijing will promote an array of diplomatic initiatives.  Through them, China hopes to enlarge a coalition of friendly countries and ultimately shape a post-Western security governance order, in which Russia could play a central role.  More than the content of the GSI, it is the process that matters for Beijing.  The paper argues that it would be a mistake to underestimate the GSI, even though it may initially look like an empty shell.  

Sudan Talks On Civilian Government Hit Roadblock

 Reuters published on 30 March 2023 an article titled "Sudanese Talks Hit Roadblock Over Security Sector Reform."

Talks in Sudan aimed at reaching a final agreement to name a civilian government and hold elections hit a wall over the issue of restructuring the military, which currently controls the government.  Disagreement over integrating the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) into the regular military is the apparent problem.  The regular army wants this integration to take place within 2 years; the RSF wants 10 years.   

Africa and China-US Rivalry

 The Conversation published on 20 March 2023 a commentary titled "US-China Tensions: How Africa Can Avoid Being Caught in a New Cold War" by John Stremlau, University of the Witwatersrand.

The essay suggests ways that Africa can avoid becoming entangled in US-China global rivalry, while maintaining productive partnerships with both nations.  

An Analysis of China's Global Security Initiative

 The Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) blog posted on 2 March 2023 a commentary titled "China's New Global Security Initiative: A Rising Power Spreads Its Wings" by Pascal Abb, senior researcher at PRIF.

China announced its Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the 2022 Boao Forum for Asia, a Chinese-sponsored multilateral security conference.  In February 2023, China issued a concept paper that added some detail concerning the initiative.  Four ideas highlight the GSI.

First, the GSI's agenda is global in scope.

Second, the GSI is based on a very wide-ranging understanding of security characterized as comprehensive national security.

Third, the GSI establishes a strong connection between peace and development.

Fourth, the GSI makes a clear divide between US and Western normative approaches to security and China's approach, which opposes hegemonism, unilateralism, protectionism, and a Cold War mentality.

Ethiopia Purchases Chinese Truck-mounted Howitzers

 Military Africa published on 24 January 2023 an article titled "Ethiopia Buys Chinese SH-15 (PCL-181) Artillery as Regional Tension Persists" by Patrick Kenyette.

Ethiopia has purchased at least 32 Chinese-made SH-15 truck-mounted 155 mm howitzers used by the People's Liberation Army.  Each howitzer costs about $2 million.  

China and Russia Export Arms and Private Military Contractors to Africa

 The RAND Corporation has just published a paper titled "Mapping Chinese and Russian Military and Security Exports to Africa" by Cortney Weinbaum, Melissa Shostak, Chandler Sachs, and John V. Parachini.  

China and Russia are among the top five countries that export major arms to Africa and both countries have employed private military and security contractors across Africa.  Russia exports more arms than China and employs a mercenary organization, the Wagner Group, in several African countries.  Chinese private military contractors are almost always unarmed and are used to secure Chinese interests.  

Somali Troops Trickle Back from Eritrea

 Reuters published on 21 December 2022 an article titled "Somalia Repatriates Troops from Eritrea after Protests over Recruitment."  

The previous Somali government sent an estimated 5,000 young men to Eritrea for military training under questionable circumstances.  President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was elected in May 2022, has been trying to get them back to Somalia.  A small number reportedly recently returned home.

China's Military and Security Developments in Africa

 The U.S. Department of Defense recently published its 2022 Annual Report to Congress titled "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China."

This 196-page report contains a number of references to Africa.  The most significant ones are:

--China's efforts to develop the Digital Silk Road (pages 24-25).

--The impact of the PLA Navy's expanding fleet on operations at Djibouti and beyond (pages 51-52).

--The PLA Navy Marine Corps presence at Djibouti (page 57).

--China's satellite receiving stations in Namibia and South Africa (page 72).

--Naval deployments in the Indian Ocean, PLA vaccine diplomacy, counterpiracy efforts, and peacekeeping operations (pages 134-137).

--China's military base in Djibouti and other basing possibilities.  The report concludes: "Beyond its base in Djibouti, the PRC is very likely already considering and planning for additional military logistics facilities to support naval, air, and ground forces projection."  It adds that the PRC has likely considered Kenya, Seychelles, Equatorial Guinea, Tanzania, and Angola among other places as locations for PLA military logistics facilities and has probably already made overtures to Namibia (pages 143-145).

--Summarizing the PLA's military diplomacy, the report concludes that "outside of the Indo-Pacific, China sees Africa as a region of particular opportunity because African governments are highly receptive to China's engagement and assistance" (page 164).   

New Chinese Leadership Puts Focus on Security

 Discourse, an online journal published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, published on 15 November 2022 a commentary titled "The China Challenge: New Leadership Focuses on the Struggle for Security" by Guoguang Wu.  

A remarkable feature of China's new Politburo leadership is the disproportionate number of members with security-related backgrounds.  The author argues that the composition of the new leadership indicates that security issues will be a high priority on the Communist Party's agenda over the next five years.  

Comment:  Although the analysis focuses on national and state security within China and makes no mention of Africa, it raises the question if there will be more attention given to security issues in China's foreign policy, including Africa, especially in the case of Chinese personnel and interests.