Seeking Strategic Advantage with African Countries

 China-Africa Security Radar published on 6 October 2025 a commentary titled "China's Lavish Pledge: Will $51 Billion Buy Africa's Military Loyalty to Beijing?" by Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah.

African states are engineering a multipolar security order that serves their interests by refusing to choose among the major powers.  They are exploiting great power competition to expand their strategic autonomy.  As a result, China's military training and arms sales translate into access and goodwill, not strategic alignment or exclusive loyalty.  

Gabon Acquires Chinese Military Equipment

 Defence Blog posted on 19 August 2025 an article titled "Gabon Receives Chinese-made VN-1 Fighting Vehicles" by Daisuke Soto.

Gabon unveiled newly acquired Chinese eight-wheeled VN-1 infantry fighting vehicles and the WMA-301 105mm wheeled assault gun during its independence day military parade.  This is another indication that Chinese military equipment companies are increasing their footprint in Africa at a price point accessible to smaller economies.  

Burkina Faso Buys Counter-Insurgency Equipment from China

Defence Blog posted on 8 August 2025 an article titled "China Delivers Artillery and Armor to Burkina Faso" by Dylan Malyasov.

China's Norinco has delivered fire support vehicles, self-propelled gun-mortars, and multiple rocket launch systems to Burkina Faso.  Designed for rapid deployment and fast moving situations, the equipment will be used for counter-insurgency operations. Norinco usually offers competitive pricing and flexible financing.  

Mali Receives Armored Personnel Carriers from China

 Defence Web posted on 5 August 2025 an article titled "Mali Receives CS/VP14 Armoured Vehicles from China" by Guy Martin.

The Malian Armed Forces has taken delivery of Chinese armored personnel carriers manufactured by Norinco as part of its campaign to combat terrorist groups.

China Takes Y-20 Military Transport Aircraft to South Africa Air Show

 Military Africa published on 16 September 2024 an article titled "China's Y-20 Transport Aircraft in South Africa for AAD 2024" by Sarah Lesedi.

After participating in an air show in Egypt, the PLA Airforce flew its Y-20 transport aircraft to South Africa to take part in the Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition.  The Y-20 is one of the largest transport aircraft in the world and has a range of about 7,800 kilometers when fully loaded.  

China's Advanced Military Aircraft Visit Egypt

 The South China Morning Post published on 27 August 2024 an article titled "China's Y-20 Transport Plane Heads to Egypt on Mideast Military Influence Mission" by Zhao Ziwen.

China's Y-20 transport plane and six J-10's, China's first domestic advanced jet fighter, flew over Cairo in advance of the upcoming Egypt International Airshow.  This is clearly an effort to show off China's most advanced military aircraft to an audience in North Africa and the Middle East.

Algeria Acquires State-of-the-Art Chinese UAVs

 Military Africa published on 22 March 2024 an article titled "Algeria Enhances Aerial Capabilities with Advanced WJ-700 Falcon UAVs" by Darek Liam.  

Algeria is acquiring 4 state-of-the-art WJ-700 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp.  These large UAVs can carry substantial payloads, including anti-ship missiles.  The procurement occurs during ongoing regional tensions with Morocco, which has also been upgrading its military hardware.

Russia Positions Itself to Replace French and American Influence in Niger

 CNN published on 18 March 2024 an article titled "Russia Undermining Relationship of Critical West African Ally with the U.S., Officials Say" by Natasha Bertrand and Oren Liebermann.

Following the military coup in Niger in July 2023, first France and now the United States have been asked by the military regime to remove their military personnel, about 650 in the case of the US, from the country.  The United States believes that Russia and Iran contributed to this decision by Niger.  Russia is in discussion with Niger concerning deployment of its Africa Corps, formerly the Wagner Group, to replace the French and American troops.  

Zambian Air Force Procurement from China

The China Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies published in May 2020 a policy brief titled "African Military Aircraft Procurement from China: A Case Study from Zambia" by Jyhjong Hwang. 

China has sold the Zambian Air Force 44 percent of its current aircraft and helicopter inventory.  The author concluded there is no indication that the increase in Chinese loans to Zambia is an attempt to gain access to Zambia's copper supply.  Nor is there any indication that Zambia is being pressured into purchasing Chinese aircraft due to its current debt held by China.

China Trains Rwandan Troops

The South China Morning Post published on 7 July 2019 an article titled "Rwandan Troops Trained by Chinese Military Mark 25th Anniversary of Liberation" by Sarah Zheng.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) trained about 2000 Rwandan troops in Rwanda earlier this year. The PLA is stepping up its training activities in Africa.

Russian and Chinese Initiatives in Africa: Competitive Cooperation

Asia Dialogue published on 26 June 2019 a commentary titled "Competitive Cooperation: The Connection between Chinese and Russian Initiatives in Africa and Beyond" by Tom Harper, University of Surrey.

China's entrenchment in African economies serves as a backdrop for Russia's return to the continent, which represents part of its wider bid to augment Russian influence globally as well as expand into African markets. The purpose of Russia's engagement with African states is to cement its influence through political and military assistance in the same way as China has done through infrastructure and economic initiatives.

China's Salami Slicing in Africa

The Institute for Security Studies posted on 3 October 2018 a commentary titled "China's Salami Slicing Takes Root in Africa" by Ronak Gopaldas, director at Signal Risk, a company that specializes in risk management in Africa.

Salami slicing involves the slow accumulation of small changes which add up over time to a substantial change in the strategic picture. This incremental strategy has been employed with considerable success for territorial gains in the South China Sea. It also explains how China has been able to make significant gains in Africa without generating widespread public outrage. A case in point is the construction of a naval base in Djibouti. The author argues that China is using salami slicing to achieve both geo-strategic leverage and economic penetration in Africa.

Russia in Africa: New Focus

The Africa Research Program at Tel Aviv University published on 24 June 2018 a study titled "Russia in Africa" by Rina Bassist, Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation.

The author singled out two new guidelines that define Russia's emerging policy in Africa: identifying African markets where Russia enjoys an advantage vis-a-vis Africa's traditional partners and identifying zones of strategic interest, including the control of certain resources.

North Korea's Military Links with the Horn of Africa

The Diplomat published on 6 January 2018 a commentary titled "North Korea's Military Partners in the Horn of Africa" by Samuel Ramani, University of Oxford.

While Sudan and Uganda reportedly are no longer violating sanctions against North Korea, the author suggests that Somalia, Eritrea, and Ethiopia are continuing to do so. He argues that Eritrea and Somalia are unlikely to suspend military links with North Korea, although Ethiopia may be in the process of complying with sanctions.

North Korea's African Allies

The Diplomat published on 4 June 2016 a good update of North Korea's relations with Africa titled "North Korea's African Allies" by Samuel Ramani, a MPhil student at St. Antony's College, University of Oxford. The piece emphasizes North Korea's relations with Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, DRC, and Burundi.

China's Armed Drone Sales Include African Countries

Foreign Policy published on 14 January 2016 an article titled "Meet China's Killer Drones" by Adam Rawnsley.  It describes China's production and export of armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones.  Countries that have purchased the drones include Egypt, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Pakistan, and Iraq.  Algeria has tested the drones, which China's sells with fewer restrictions and at less cost than US produced drones.  There are, however, questions about quality. 

China-Africa Military Relations

The China Africa Project ran a 30 minute podcast on 30 June 2015 titled "China's Expanding Military Presence in Africa."  Eric Olander and Cobus van Staden interviewed me on a variety of China-Africa military issues, including UN peacekeeping operations, anti-piracy in the Gulf of Aden, military sales, emergency evacuation of Chinese nationals from Africa, and rumors of new Chinese military activities in Africa.

Is China Selling Armed Drones to Nigeria?

The War is Boring website published on 28 January 2015 a story titled "It Seems a Chinese Missile Drone Just Crashed in Nigeria: Is Beijing Selling Killer Robots in Africa?" by Adam Rawnsley.  This is a fascinating story with excellent visuals.  Decide for yourself. 

China-Africa Military Relations

The blog War Is Boring recently ran a piece titled "China Is Getting Ready to Surge Troops into Africa: Military Deploying to Protect Beijing's People and Investments" by Peter Dorrie.  The commentary accurately reports my comments, although I believe part of the heading "China Is Getting Ready to Surge Troops into Africa" is misleading.  China is deploying about 700 combat troops to join its noncombat contingent with the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.  To the best of my knowledge, no additional Chinese troops are scheduled to deploy in Africa.  At the same time, China is concerned that its growing number of nationals and interests in Africa may be subject to increasing threats.  At some point, this may lead to more military engagement.

Dorrie published another version of this story on 24 January 2015 titled "China Deploying Troops to Africa to Protect Its  Investments and Nationals."

Ethiopia, North Korea, and UN Sanctions

38 North, a website devoted to analysis of North Korea, published on 23 December 2014 a piece titled "Is Ethiopia Violating UN Sanctions against North Korea" by Andrea Berger.  38 North is a program of the US-Korea Institute at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.

The analysis reviews the military assistance connection between Ethiopia and North Korea, which dates back to the 1970s.  North Korea has served as a long-standing source of arms and helped Ethiopia construct, operate and upgrade two weapons factory complexes.