23 Oct 2024
African Think Tank

Association For Strategic Culture and Research Foundation

African Think Tank
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Mozambique Might Require Foreign Military Assistance To Clean Up Its Hybrid War Mess
Chronically impoverished and formerly civil war-torn Mozambique has the potential to become the world's fourth-largest natural gas exporter due to its vast offshore reserves in the extreme northeastern part of the country, but this Southern African state's ambitious plans are at risk of being derailed by the ever-intensifying Islamist-driven Hybrid War in that strategic corner of its territory, one which might ultimately require foreign military assistance to resolve after the national armed forces proved themselves incapable of containing this threat.
30 November, 2020
Russia-Africa Summit: The Roadmap to Africa, Shift in Geopolitical Relations
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent warm greetings to African leaders, business people and participants early October, signaling that everything is set for the first Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi, southern coastal city of Russia.
26 February, 2021
China and Russia Launch a ‘Global Resistance Economy’
The U.S. will ignore the message from Anchorage. It is already testing China over Taiwan, and is preparing an escalation in Ukraine, to test Russia.
15 March, 2021
Why South Africa Should Embrace Pakistan’s “Look Africa” Policy
In March 2021, the Pakistan’s leaders unveiled country’s comprehensive security vision at the first Islamabad Security Dialogue – the first of its kind National Security Dialogue held in Islamabad. Aimed at broadening the concept of National Security, encouraging strategic communication, and presenting the South Asian emerging power as a centre of regional connectivity and global development
5 April, 2021
South Africa: The most ideal partner for Russia in Africa.
Central documents are Joint Declaration on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Africa, signed during the working visit of President Vladimir Putin to the RSA timed to BRICS Summit in Durban in March 2013 and the Treaty on Friendship and Partnership concluded within the official visit of President of Russia Vladimir Putin to the RSA in September 2016.
19 April, 2021
Global Trends 2040
Every four years, US intelligence community analysts try to predict what is going to happen in the next 20 years. Although events regularly take place that show how difficult it is to make predictions for even the next five years (I’m talking about predictions, not plans), the US intelligence community continues putting together these reports using a set template.
3 May, 2021
SADC: The Crisis of South Africa’s National Security Strategy Will Diminish What’s Left of BRIC“S” And Country’s Multipolar Dreams.
Without basic strategic planning document defining its National Interests and Strategic National Priorities, objectives, tasks, and measures in the sphere of national security, Republic of South Africa is unlikely to meet its stated goals in energy security, communications, finance, and state and public security.
21 May, 2021
Struggle for influence in Africa
Africa is of natural interest to the leading political forces operating on the world stage. It has a huge territory, more than a billion people and natural resources, which, according to various estimates, make up 30-40% of all mineral reserves of the planet. At the same time, the level of development of the continent itself, at least in the last five hundred years, is significantly lower than the level of development of the surrounding European and Asian countries.
27 May, 2021
Is There Any Hope Left For The Horn Of Africa?
The high hopes that many had for a radical improvement of the situation in the Horn of Africa just a few short years ago have been shattered by a combination of internal and international conflicts centered on Ethiopia, but it might be premature to predict that the region won't ever recover since Prime Minister Abiy could drastically turn everything around once more should he have the political will to do so.
6 June, 2021
The LAPSSET Corridor Is China's Latest Silk Road In East Africa
IGAD's Chinese-backed infrastructure projects will eventually create a regional version of Beijing's vision for a Community of Common Destiny, one of the central philosophical tenets behind BRI.
8 June, 2021
Russia Should Consider Partnering With The UAE In The Horn Of Africa
The Horn of Africa is arguably the most geostrategic part of the continent for the rest of the world at large so it's only fitting that Russia crafts a comprehensive strategy for advancing its interests there, one which would become much more viable if it seriously considered partnering with the region's de facto Emirati hegemon
8 June, 2021
The Strategic Consequences Of A Possible French Military Intervention In Mozambique
A publicly available expert-level newsletter on Mozambique news reports and clippings from the middle of May predicts that France might launch a limited military intervention in northern Mozambique's Cabo Delgado Province in order to protect the offshore energy deposits of its national champion Total, which necessitates an analysis of such a move's strategic consequences if it does indeed come to pass.
8 June, 2021
Criticism Highlights Russia's Media Weakness in Africa
In her weekly media briefing July 23, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized United States support for educational programs, media and NGOs in Africa. In addition, Zakharova said
29 July, 2021
Russia and China: Geopolitical Rivals and Competitors in Africa
Interview by Kester Kenn Klomegah
4 August, 2021
The Battle for Indian Ocean and Island States
Russia has taken an increasing interest in strengthening consistently its diplomacy with small island States especially Cape Verde, Mauritius, Maldives and Seychelles. Late December, the Kremlin appointed Deputy Director Artem Kozhin at the Foreign Ministry as the new ambassador to the island of Seychelles, signaling the strategic importance it attaches to this island state of Seychelles with an estimated population of 85 thousand, located in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar and east of Kenya.
14 August, 2021
Whither Afghanistan? Getting Out Is Harder Than Getting In
Given the lack of any deep thinking going on in the White House, Americans could easily find themselves in yet another Afghanistan.
14 August, 2021
Russia’s Association of Economic Cooperation with African States (AECAS) complements Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Financing projects in Africa is one of the important keys and, at the same time, the most difficult issue for major Russian companies attempting to expand to Africa, and the financial instruments at their disposal are insufficient according to Anna Belyaeva, Executive Director of the Association of Economic Cooperation with African States.
18 August, 2021
African Leaders Must Prioritise Climate Risks – Verkooijen
In this insightful and wide-ranging interview, Professor Patrick Verkooijen, Chief Executive Officer of Global Center on Adaptation discusses the organization’s establishment, its main objectives, challenges and plans for the future.
19 August, 2021
SADC Leadership Changes: the Challenges and Future Perspectives
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) held the 41st Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Lilongwe, Malawi on 17 to 18 August 2021 with a limited number of participants. The modest symbolism associated with the gathering was to observe strictly the COVID-19 protocols
23 August, 2021
Debt Situation in Developing Countries
The coronavirus pandemic has worsened the debt situation in many developing countries
23 August, 2021
Rather than an AU Seat at a G-21: Jeffrey Sachs Should Lead a Knowledge Coalition to Enhance Power to Reduce if not Stop the Exploitation of Africa
Power exists to bolster interests. Under Western competitive ideology as opposed to Yoruba “Omoluabi” (character plus integrity imbued with a we sharing spirit) or Zulu “Ubuntu” (I am because you are spirit), it would be naïve to expect that granting a seat to the African Union would see to the protection of African interests.
25 August, 2021
Economic Forum to Boost Far East Regional Development
With a focus to gather corporate business directors and investors especially from the Asian-Pacific region, the Far East federal district administration is speedily preparing to host the 6th edition of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) on September 2-4 in Vladivostok.
27 August, 2021
Egypt Hopes for Russia's Nuclear Plant Construction
It was highly unique step forward in October 2019, during the first Russia-Africa Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reaffirmed commitment to scale-up cooperation in various economic sectors and particularly expedite work on the special industrial zone and the construction of proposed four nuclear power plants, raising hopes for an increased power supply in Egypt.
1 September, 2021
US Values Vs Chinese Values: Empire Vs Bandung As Seen From Cape Verde
The humiliation of Africa and China at the hands of Europe and the US cannot be brushed aside. When considering China’s current investment in Africa and Africa’s openness to this investment – it is imperative to include the long African and Chinese struggles against western imperialism.
14 September, 2021
More African Countries Register Russia's Sputnik Vaccine. What Next After The Registration Campaign?
Russia's drive to share Sputnik V vaccine, of course, offers a chance to raise its image and strengthen alliances in Africa. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has made efforts promoting the vaccine using all its channels. But supply and delivery have largely lagged behind, the pledges have simply not been fulfilled. Russian authorities have oftentimes said that they would step up efforts for fruitful cooperation in combating coronavirus in Africa.
17 September, 2021
Germany’s Forgotten Genocide in Namibia
As some world leaders gather in New York for their annual United Nations General Assembly rituals, the September 22 debate on “Reparations, Racial Justice, and Equality for People of African Descent” to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 2001 Durban Racism Conference, will be particularly significant. While at the Durban conference itself, the issue of reparations was not allowed to be debated by former Western slaver and imperial powers, this issue is now firmly on the agenda.
18 September, 2021
Is Amnesty To Boko Haram Unfair To Nigerian Society?
It was recently reported that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has granted amnesty to thousands of repentant Boko Haram members. This development has generated mixed reactions across Nigeria and the world, with many questioning the justification for this action.
19 September, 2021
Europe’s Priorities to Cushion Africa
In Africa, we have the paradox that 6 out of 10 of the most quickly growing countries, most dynamic economies are African economies but at the same time, 36 most vulnerable countries are also in Africa. It is a very heterogeneous continent. And all countries will be affected but for most, if we do not give debt relief, and I mean much more than just freezing payments, we are going to go into a crisis of external debt, and this we cannot afford.
21 September, 2021
Power without Soft Power: China’s Outreach to Central Asia
While the international community focuses on the Uyghur Muslim and the Wakhan Corridor, the main threat to the Central Asian states will continue to be the lack of water supplies, which will lead to conflicts between countries in the region and, perhaps, with neighbors such as China and Russia.
21 September, 2021
Rwanda’s Military Is The French Proxy On African Soil
Why did Rwanda intervene in Mozambique in July 2021 to defend, essentially, two major energy companies? The answer lies in a very peculiar set of events that took place in the months before the troops left Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda.
21 September, 2021
Russian Duma elections mark a watershed moment in Russia-West relations
This election marks a watershed moment in Russian national security policy, whose large international implications will not be immediately perceived by the Western strategic policy community which remains a prisoner of its own false narrative of Russia as a country which is sooner or later bound to fail.
21 September, 2021
Foreign Competition In Guinea: The Scramble For Natural Resources
Guinea has struggled with political instability and endemic corruption since its independence from France in 1958. Despite the country’s poor infrastructure, there is a significant foreign presence in Guinea. Countries are mostly competing for its mineral resources, such as gold, diamonds, bauxite, and iron ore. The United States, along with other foreign powers, vies for access to these resources and for the ability to influence the country’s government.
22 September, 2021
Israel’s Accreditation To African Union Is Dividing Africa
Israel has long sought to retake its position as an observer state at the African Union (AU). It had this status with the Organisation of African Unity until that continental body became the AU in 2002. AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has now opened the door to Israel again – and not everyone is welcoming his decision.
24 September, 2021
China’s Trade With Africa Reaches Record Highs
A recent report by Economist Corporate Network, supported by Baker McKenzie and Silk Road Associates, BRI Beyond 2020 (Economist report), showed how these strengthening trade links are, in part, a result of favourable financial incentives offered to African jurisdictions by China. According to the Economist report, 33 of the poorest jurisdictions in Africa export 97 per cent of their exports to China with no tariffs and no customs duties.
24 September, 2021
AUKUS Threatens to Damage NATO
The creation of AUKUS is only further confirmation—as if more was needed—that the Biden administration intends to wage a new cold war in Asia with China as its target.
27 September, 2021
The Great Games of Diplomacy: Russia Sees Neocolonialism as An Investment Barrier in Africa
Some argue that the best way to fight neocolonialism is to invest in order to jostle for economic influence. Nevertheless, Russia has sought to convince Africans over the past years of the likely dangers of neocolonial tendencies perpetrated by the former colonial countries and the scramble for resources on the continent.
30 September, 2021
What Would Happen to the World Without the United States?
Would NATO be able to survive in a world without the United States? Theoretically, yes, but only if the European great powers—the United Kingdom, Germany and France—put the maximum political, economic and military effort into it. The remaining countries in the bloc will have to increase their defence contributions by more than the two per cent on which Washington insists today to some four or five per cent.
30 September, 2021
Treasuring Africa’s Seas and Oceans
As an island nation state totally surrounded by the ocean, Seychelles considers water bodies worthy of special status and recognises them to be among Africa’s most prized natural assets.
30 September, 2021
What Does An EU Indo-Pacific Strategy Entail?
The EU strategy currently appears to be pointed more towards building on established partnerships and developing new ones with like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific to ensure its role and growing presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
4 October, 2021
Women’s Empowerment And The Merkel Effect
Before Merkel’s leadership, history recognized a number of famous empowered women, such as Queen Elizabeth, the monarch for the UK and 15 other Commonwealth realms; and the “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher, who was UK prime minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the country’s Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990.
4 October, 2021
The US Risks Turning Ethiopia Into An Enemy With Its Latest Provocations
'Humanitarian imperialism', information warfare, and the weaponization of economic and financial instruments are the means to this end.
7 October, 2021
Chinese Investment In Africa Has Had ‘Significant And Persistently Positive’ Long-Term Effects Despite Controversy
Professor Crescenzi and Nicola Limodio, Assistant Professor of Finance at Bocconi University, Milan, conducted the research, using Ethiopia as a case study, by leveraging an innovative combination of data on firms, investments and local economic activity. They focussed on analysing medium and large manufacturing firms and Chinese FDI location choices.
11 October, 2021
BRICS’ Influence Grows as Three New Members Join the New Development Bank
The selection of the UAE, Uruguay and Bangladesh as the first three non-founding partners of the NDB indicates the intentions of BRICS – regional expansion with a focus on economic and transportation cooperation. This cooperation, as well as integration, is especially crucial as the world struggles to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic fallout.
13 October, 2021
European Union Pivot to Asia
Effective solutions to global challenges can only be developed and implemented in dialogue with Asian states.
16 October, 2021
Global Energy: Transformation for Development
Vladimir Putin is the President of the Russian Federation. He took part in the plenary session of the Russian Energy Week International Forum held on October 13-15, in Moscow.
16 October, 2021
Q&A: African Development Bank Chief Says Continent Ripe for Investment
VOA’s Peter Clottey spoke with Akinwumi Adesina, Nigerian economist, to discuss why he thinks the continent is ripe for foreign investment – especially from the United States. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
17 October, 2021
What Do Russia and Nigeria Share in Common?
After Soviet's collapse, Russia has been struggling to find ways of regaining part of its Soviet-era economic influence throughout Africa. Nigeria is high on Russia's agenda for reviving multifaceted business ties, at least to share the market and take up opportunities similar to external players such as the United States, Europe and China.
17 October, 2021
Analyzing the American Hybrid War on Ethiopia
Ethiopia has come under unprecedented pressure from the U.S. ever since it commenced a military operation in its northern Tigray Region last November.
19 October, 2021
Dynamics of Empowering Women in the Changing World
Throughout the world, there is a growing demand for female leadership. Research has shown that companies with women on their boards of directors enjoy better results.
19 October, 2021
The U.S. flies Alex Saab out from Cabo Verde without court order or extradition treaty
On October 16, Colombian businessman and Venezuelan Special Envoy Alex Saab was in practical terms kidnapped for the second time, first by Cabo Verde under pressure from Washington, and now by the U.S., in flagrant violation of international law.
20 October, 2021
China-Japan Relations: Searching For A New Equilibrium
The importance of stable China-Japan relations cannot be overstated. As the world’s second and third-largest economies, respectively, the impact of steady bilateral ties goes beyond the Asia-Pacific. The complex bilateral relations both have deep linkages and serious fault lines.
23 October, 2021
Guinea: Simandou Is China’s Poisoned Chalice
In September 2021, Alpha Conde — the octogenarian president of Guinea — was toppled by the special forces he created. It is the latest episode of political instability in the West African state with not only rich resources but also a history of military coups.
25 October, 2021
Q&A: At Midterm, Sierra Leone President Vows to Continue Reforms
With two years left in his term, Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio told Voice of America that expanding political freedoms, improving education, holding past leaders accountable for corruption, and promoting gender equality are his administration’s priorities.
26 October, 2021
Interpreting the Biden Doctrine: The View From Moscow
It is the success or failure of remaking America, not Afghanistan, that will determine not just the legacy of the Biden administration, but the future of the United States itself.
25 October, 2021
Africa Condemns the Continuing Imperialist Legacy of France
France for centuries had been involved in the Atlantic slave trade and colonialism making it one of the leading imperialist powers to emerge from the tumultuous conquering of large swaths of territory throughout the world
25 October, 2021
What Next After Sudan Changes Guards At The Crossroad?
Besides the search for peaceful political pathways, Sudanese authorities need to address the deep-seated economic deficiencies and tackle common problems (basic infrastructure) facing people in micro levels of the society. This also relates many African countries.
27 October, 2021
From Trade Gateway to Risk Guarantees: What Russian Businesses Can Offer Africa
Africa today is one of the most attractive markets and promising regions for long-term investment. The continent shows the world's highest consumption growth rates. Russia has recently joined business activities in the region. The first-ever Russia-Africa summit, held in Sochi in 2019, was a powerful impetus for this. The second one is due in 2022. Both sides expect a considerable increase in the number of contracts that will be concluded.
29 October, 2021
Morocco And Algeria On The Edge Of The Precipice
Algeria’s hostility toward Morocco since its independence in 1962 is considered a real enigma by many foreign observers. In reality, it is explained by the nature of power in Algeria, which, lacking democratic or at least historical legitimacy, sees this hostility as necessary for its internal hegemony and continuation.
29 October, 2021
Should China and Russia Form an Alliance?
In history, China has formed alliances with Russia more than with any other countries. The two countries formed alliances three times, respectively, during the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China, and the People’s Republic of China.
1 November, 2021
Sudan Coup Prompted by Failures in Washington’s Foreign Policy
For decades now the political affairs of the Republic of Sudan have been a preoccupation of the U.S. State Department, Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Prior to the partition of the country in 2011, Sudan was the largest geographic nation-state in Africa. The country of 50 million was becoming an emerging oil-producing state maintaining ties with both the West and the developing countries.
1 November, 2021
The Post-Pandemic World and US-China Rivalry
The post-pandemic world will not be determined by the outcome of the confrontation between the US and China, or by splitting the world into two competing camps, writes Nelson Wong, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Centre for RimPac Strategic and International Studies, speaker at the Special Session of the 18th Annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club.
1 November, 2021
Why France And Germany Won’t Join China’s ‘Africa Quad’
Chinese President Xi Jinping invited the leaders of Germany and France to join a ‘quad’ of cooperation with African countries during a virtual summit on 5 July 2021. But why did Beijing suddenly propose this partnership? And is the move likely to bear fruit?
3 November, 2021
Geopolitical Analysis of the “Power Shift” and Russia's Special Interest in Sudan
Sudan, located in the northeast Africa, has deepening economic crisis, so many social and political forces. While some are advocating for developing democracy, others have, under the circumstances, aligned with the military, which has accused the civilian governing parties of mismanagement and monopolizing power.
3 November, 2021
The Impact of Climate Change on Africa’s Economies
The ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) should specifically address the climate change impact on Africa or failing that the African Union (AU) should call for an Africa-specific conference to address this issue.
4 November, 2021
Why Turkey is Keen to Project Power in the Gulf of Guinea
In 2005, Turkey began its new policy approach to Africa. The “Africa opening” doctrine is key to Ankara’s approach to political and economic relations on the continent. With the appropriate mix of soft power tactics, Turkey has made important inroads into the Gulf of Guinea area.
4 November, 2021
African Union Must Implement Strategies to Reverse Military Coups
Over the last 14 months, several African governments have been subjected to numerous attempts and actual military usurpations of political authority. In Niger, which is one of the world’s largest producers of uranium, it was reported that elements within the defense forces were thwarted in efforts to take control of the government on March 31 of 2021.
4 November, 2021
China Is the Biggest Winner From Africa’s New Free Trade Bloc
When the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was initially proposed at the African Union summit in 2012, it had two goals: First, build a pan-African agenda in trade and cooperation. Second, lift a large percentage of people out of poverty by instituting structural economic changes and cooperative legislation.
9 November, 2021
France and Africa: Towards a New Model of Relations?
In recent decades, French foreign policy in Africa has been preoccupied with a jump-start of relations with the African nations, marked by a gradual curtailment of the Françafrique, a concept that provided for a direct military and political intervention in affairs of the French-speaking nations on the continent. France is now in search for a more balanced framework for interaction with the countries in the region.
9 November, 2021
Sudan And The UAE: Pulling Sudanese Strings
The UAE and the United States agreed at the time that it was time for Mr. Al-Bashir to go. But they likely disagreed about what should succeed him. The United States pushed for transition to a civilian-led democracy.
9 November, 2021
Why Russians Are Complaining How to Engage with Africa
In order to raise the economic influence, Russians have been making efforts to identify a structured finance mechanism for mega infrastructure projects such as nuclear power and energy, natural resources exploration and to significantly increase trade with Africa
11 November, 2021
FW De Klerk: A Negotiator Before Defeat
It was De Klerk who began to take the screws out of the edifice of apartheid and open the pathway to negotiations with other parties. Serving in the governing white National Party, which had introduced apartheid in 1948, De Klerk held ministerial positions till becoming party head in February 1989. Between 1984 and 1989, he served as education minister, overseeing the notorious Bantu education program.
14 November, 2021
Q&A: NAM has a critical role to play: Interview with one of the most influential women in Africa
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, chair at the University of Mauritius, sworn in as the 6th President and the First Female President of the Republic of Mauritius (in 2015).
14 November, 2021
Mozambique: Rule Of Law Prevails On Chang Extradition, But At A Price
Judge Margaret Victor overturned a decision by South Africa’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola in August this year to send Chang to Mozambique to face similar charges in the US$2 billion ‘hidden debts’ scandal.
17 November, 2021
Class Warfare and Socialist Resistance: Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela as Existential Threats to the US
The fact that Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela are not only attempting to build independent projects but build socialism makes their example even more of a threat.
17 November, 2021
US Investors to Explore Opportunities in AfCFTA
United States investors are looking forward to exploring several opportunities in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a policy signed by African countries to make the continent a single market.
17 November, 2021
Russia’s Cooperation Agreement with African Union: Economic and Geopolitical Implications
In the joint declaration, after the first summit, Russia and African Union have set goals and tasks for the further development of cooperation in all areas: politics, security, the economy, science and technology, culture and humanitarian sphere.
18 November, 2021
COP26 Summit Fails to Take Decisive Action on Climate Change
Another annual international conference on the climate crisis ended on November 13 in Glasgow, Scotland where a contentious debate over the final document revealed fundamental differences on key issues.
18 November, 2021
Documents Show Bill Gates Has Given $319 Million to Media Outlets
In most coverage, Gates’s donations are broadly presented as altruistic gestures. Yet many have pointed to the inherent flaws with this model, noting that allowing billionaires to decide what they do with their money allows them to set the public agenda, giving them enormous power over society.
22 November, 2021
Sudan’s Future: The Israel Connection
On October 25 Sudan’s military, under the leadership of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, seized power and placed the country under martial law. Less than a month later there are strong signs that Burhan may have bitten off more than he can chew and is starting to regret masterminding the coup.
22 November, 2021
Africa Faces ‘Perfect Storm’ Due To Under-Investment In Children
The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) research report clearly shows that investment in children, especially in early childhood, has substantial long term economic and social benefits.
22 November, 2021
US-Africa Relations: An Opportunity Lost Or Found
As Africa’s economies and middle class continue to grow, there is a tremendous market for American consumer goods. Consumer and business spending in Africa is expected to top $6.6 trillion by 2030, up from $4 trillion in 2015. Again, not only China, but also nations in every other region of the world, are looking to fill the continent’s need for consumer goods.
22 November, 2021
The Geopolitics of China-Russia Relations: The Dragon and The Bear
As most of the world is desperately waiting for the pandemic to take its final breaths, the Dragon and the Bear have perhaps the most to look forward to in the year ahead.
22 November, 2021
What Went Wrong With Russia’s Sputnik V Vaccine Rollout?
In August 2020, Russia was the first country to announce the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. Since then, a relentless publicity blitz has promoted the attributes of the Sputnik V vaccine. However, Sputnik V has struggled to gain mass acceptance inside Russia, let alone in other countries where it is marketed as an alternative to vaccines developed by Western and Chinese pharmaceutical firms.
24 November, 2021
The Geopolitics Of The Sudan Coup
These new tactics and strategies could leverage efforts toward dismantling the precarious power structure comprising military rule. This factor likely explains the crackdown on Saturday, as security forces sought to prevent demonstrators from mobilizing and disseminating demands across various platforms.
24 November, 2021
Somalia’s Democracy By Installments
Somalia this week elected two Members of the Lower House of Parliament in polls delayed by a year, mainly by political infighting. That means it still has to elect 273 more seats by 24 December, and those elected MPs must in turn vote for a president for the ‘democratic’ transfer of power to be complete.
24 November, 2021
The United States and Africa: Building a 21st Century Partnership
We welcome the African Continental Free Trade Area, because we want to see Africa’s economic power in the world grow. More consumers should gain access to African goods and services. More jobs must be created for Africa’s young people – the global workforce of the future.
25 November, 2021
Africa Taking Concrete Steps to Write Its Own Economic Success Story
The AfCFTA aspires to connect all the regions of Africa, to deepen economic integration and to boost intra-African trade and investment. It aspires to create a single market for goods and services across 55 countries and our continent, creating a market of as much as 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion.
25 November, 2021
China: The Upcoming Global Superpower
China holds 17.7% of the world’s total wealth, the second largest share held by any country. It has the world’s largest banking sector, with assets of $40 trillion and the world’s top 4 largest banks all being in China. In 2019, China overtook the US as the home to the highest number of rich people in the world, according to the global wealth report by Credit Suisse. It has the highest number of rich people in the world’s top 10% of wealth since 2019. There were 658 Chinese billionaires and 3.5 million millionaires.
28 November, 2021
The Global Pandemic Pushing Africa into A Severe Job Crisis
The economic principles have to be pursued and demanded with the same energy as the political ones. Fundamentally, it is the responsibility of the state, controlled by democratic institutions and an active civil society, to ensure that economic growth actually translates into employment creation.
28 November, 2021
China and Africa Move into New Era of Cooperation
Africa is experiencing a flowing tide of solidarity and self-strengthening, and the continent’s influence in international affairs continues to grow. It is now forging ahead with the development of free trade zones, accelerating industrialization and modernization, and heading towards the bright future envisioned in the AU’s Agenda 2063.
30 November, 2021
Fifty Truths about Fidel Castro
48. After a trip to Cuba in 2001, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., a historian and special advisor to President Kennedy, raised the question of the cult of personality: “Fidel Castro does not encourage the cult of personality. In Havana it is difficult to find a poster or even a post card with a photo of Castro on it. The icon of Fidel’s revolution, visible everywhere, is Che Guevara”.
30 November, 2021
Why APEC Still Matters More Than Ever
The United States and China both have skin in the APEC game. The setting in which they must deal is multilateral, and their dealings are on full display to all other 19 members. APEC is not a negotiating forum that delivers formal inter-state agreements or has legal supra-national authority. It gives equal voice to, and requires consensus among, all its members, large, small and middling. It is no accident that the Biden-Xi summit follows hard on the heels of APEC.
2 December, 2021
Building China-Africa Community With Shared Future
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. Over the past 65 years, China and Africa have forged unbreakable fraternity in our struggle against imperialism and colonialism, and embarked on a distinct path of cooperation in our journey toward development and revitalization. Together, we have written a splendid chapter of mutual assistance amidst complex changes, and set a shining example for building a new type of international relations.
2 December, 2021
Russia-Africa Relations: “Geopolitical Arena with Many Players Operating”
Russia has to upgrade or scale up its collaborative engagement with Africa. It has to consider seriously launching more public outreach programmes, especially working with civil society to change public perceptions and the private sector to strengthen its partnership with Africa. In order to achieve this, it has to surmount the challenges, take up the courage and work consistently with both private and public sectors and with an effective Action Plan.
8 December, 2021
Burning Ambition: Egypt’s Return To Regional Leadership And How Europe Should Respond
Egyptian foreign ministry officials interviewed for this paper describe the last decade of Egypt’s regional positioning as “defensive” in nature as the country contended with domestic issues.
11 December, 2021
China And Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport: Reading Between The Lines
In the aftermath of this development, Ugandan authorities have been consistently insisting on three issues: The grace period is yet to expire and that the Ugandan government is confident of not defaulting on any obligations on repayment; that the terms of the loans are semi-concessional in nature and in line with Uganda’s infrastructure financing programme; and in the interest of transparency, the government has made the loan agreement available to the members of the Parliament.
11 December, 2021
Africa-China Relations Could Serve as Bulwark against Imperialist Hegemony
Note: These remarks were prepared and delivered in part for a webinar held on Sunday December 12 entitled “China/Africa Relations: Challenges of Cooperation and Development.” The event was sponsored by the International Manifesto Group and the Group for Research and Initiative for the Liberation of Africa (GRILA).
14 December, 2021
Europe Unveils U.S.$340bn Response to China's Belt and Road Initiative
The aim of the EU programme -- called Global Gateway -- is to help underpin the global recovery by mobilising investments in digital, clean energy and transport networks, as well as boosting health, education and research systems across the world. Low and middle-income countries were already facing a US$2.7 trillion infrastructure investment gap before the pandemic, according to World Bank estimates.
15 December, 2021
The Russia-Africa Situation Analysis Report
The report proposes that dialogues should be enhanced between civil societies, including expert and academic organizations. In a situation where a rapid expansion of trade and economic relations is difficult (for example, due to economic stagnation or a crisis in the respective country), the humanitarian track can become one of the ways to deepen relations further.
15 December, 2021
Ethiopian Offensive Prompts Retreat by Western-backed Rebels
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has returned from the frontline in the battle to halt the advances of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
23 December, 2021
How Effective Communication Can Help Boost Intra-African Trade
The question is, are African countries harnessing this potential offered by the AfCFTA?
27 December, 2021
The New Era Of Great Power Competition And The Biden Administration: Emerging Patterns And Principles
Geostrategic Interactions. Russia and China present distinct competitive threats to the United States around the globe. In many regions, Russia often poses the more immediate challenge, whereas the repercussions from Chinese economic investments manifest themselves subtly and will likely undermine U.S. strategic interests more gradually.
27 December, 2021
Financing Africa’s Post-Covid-19 Development
The financing needs to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) estimated at $2.5trillion for developing countries, was substantial even before the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has exacerbated the financing challenges. According to the 2021 OECD Global Outlook, the annual SDG financing gap in developing countries is estimated to have increased by $1.7 trillion, or roughly 70%, in 2020
27 December, 2021
Collective Sanctions Isolating Mali in the Sahel Sahara as Russia Rides the Wave of Anticolonialism
Over the past few years, Russian authorities have in their speeches expressed anti-colonial sentiments and openly declared unflinching support for fighting against what they referred to as neocolonial tendencies in Africa. Russia is particularly against France in French-speaking African countries in West Africa including the entire Sahel and Central African Republic.
27 December, 2021
Africa in Review 2021 (Part I): Continuing Pandemic Highlights Public Health Crisis
A gathering entitled “1st International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA)” took place during mid-December organized by the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ACDC) based at the African Union (AU) headquarters located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
31 December, 2021
Africa in Review 2021 (Part II) : Regional Conflict and the Role of Imperialism
During the coup in Conakry in May 2021, the presence of AFRICOM troops were strongly in evidence. These military leaders could not act with this degree of impunity absent of the full backing of transnational corporations, international finance capital and their security apparatuses. Stability and security will only be realized once the resources, land and labor of African people are retaken and used for the benefit of the majority.
31 December, 2021
Africa in Review 2021 (Part III) : Unification is Essential to Progress and Development
Of course, Dr. Nkrumah during the years between 1945-1972, wrote extensively on the necessity of African unification. The union of African governments and people would encompass the national economies, the trade unions, youth, women, military institutions and the establishment of a continental market based in socialist planning.
1 January, 2022
Nonsensical Propaganda Campaign To Make China Look Bad In Uganda
The article in the Daily Monitor, which was written by Yasiin Mugerwa, said that the Chinese authorities were going to take control of the airport because of the failure of Uganda to pay off the loan. A few days after the Daily Monitor article, U.S. media company Bloomberg also ran a similar article on November 28 without providing any further details on this news development, as did other U.S. and international outlets. The story by the Daily Monitor, meanwhile, went viral on Twitter, WhatsApp, and beyond.
5 January, 2022
Russia, Africa and the Sputnik V
On bilateral basis, Russia has made some vaccine deliveries, but only to its preferred countries including North Africa (Algeria Morocco and Egypt), in East Africa (Ethiopia), in Southern Africa (Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe) and West Africa (Guinea). Media reports say South Africa has rejected Sputnik V donation.
5 January, 2022
Debunking The West’s Top Ten Lies About Chinese-African Relations
The present analysis will identify and subsequently debunk the West’s top lies about Chinese-African relations. What comes next is a list of lies followed by the motive behind each. Then they’ll be discredited with the facts.
11 January, 2022
US-China Sustainable Infrastructure Collaborative Opportunities: Green Partnerships Must Begin In Africa
The United States has an opportunity to work closely with African nations and China to implement new infrastructure projects sustainably. The US must take advantage of China’s rhetoric on adherence to new environmentally friendly practices. The ‘green’ way must become the only way to conduct infrastructure projects.
13 January, 2022
Africa’s Path To Recovery In An Uncertain World
Beyond the health crisis, securing the recovery will be a complex task, requiring policymakers to make difficult trade-offs to meet people’s immediate and long-run needs, while avoiding excessive debt. Achieving this balance is never easy, but it is more challenging than ever in today’s uncertain environment. Each country’s course will be guided by its own circumstances, including economic growth, inflation pressures, budget space, and its ability to attract public and private financing.
13 January, 2022
St. Petersburg – Venue for Second African Leaders Summit
In their first joint declaration, emerging from the Russia-Africa summit, at the initiative of African participants a new dialogue mechanism—the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum—was created. The declaration stipulated that all top-level meetings take place within its framework once every three years, alternately in Russia and in an African state. It says further that the foreign ministers of Russia and three African countries—the current, future and previous chairpersons of the African Union—will meet for annual consultations.
20 January, 2022
Imperialism Coordinates Effort to Prevent a People’s Revolution in Sudan
The military forces which have ruled Sudan since April 2019 have demonstrated their willingness to follow the imperatives of U.S. foreign policy. Although it is not possible to foresee the political character of a future civilian government, Washington is concerned over the risk having to deal with an administration unbeholden to imperialist interests in the region and internationally.
20 January, 2022
EU-Africa Trade Relations
The potential to increase trade, economic growth, job creation and integration across the continent remains enormous, because today, only around 17% of African trade flows take place between African countries.
27 January, 2022
The State and Future of Africa
The creation of $650 billion in new Special Drawing Rights last year was a step in the right direction but more needs to be done to enable African and other developing countries to access the SDRs that are not needed or being used by developed or emerging economies. It is also clear that public debt vulnerabilities will dominate macro-economic policy management in Africa over the next few years.
27 January, 2022
Russian Policy Failing Africa’s Sustainable Development
After the State Duma meeting, Kester Kenn Klomegah fixed this interview with Ambassador Nicholas Sango who willingly shared his views and thoughts on a few current pertinent issues connecting Russia and Africa. Below are the interview excerpts
30 January, 2022
Burkina Faso Military Coup Reflects Wave of Insecurity in West Africa
The U.S. nor France has the willingness to provide genuine assistance to the African people in their contemporary struggles for economic development and territorial sovereignty. The mass sentiment against Paris and Washington is well-founded. What is needed is revolutionary organization which can bring together the people of the region in a program aimed at continental unity and socialist reconstruction.
1 February, 2022
African Union Summit Addresses Continental and Global Issues
Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the AU Summit was the challenge by South Africa and Algeria to the unilateral decision made during 2021 by Commission Chair Mahamat to grant Israel observer status within the continental organization. Historically the progressive and anti-imperialist forces in Africa have demonstrated unconditional solidarity with Palestine along with other national liberation movements fighting colonialism.
12 February, 2022
European Union targeting Comprehensive Partnership with Africa
Long before this summit, European Union members and business investors have been making consistent efforts at capitalizing on and exploring several emerging opportunities offered by the newly introduced African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which provides a unique and valuable access to an integrated African market of 1.3 billion people. In practical reality, it aims at creating a continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business people and investments in Africa.
13 February, 2022
Dbeibah trying to take Libya by force: what will happen next?
Now, Prime Minister Dabaiba has undoubtedly emerged as a major threat to the ambitions of the leaders of the other major factions in Libya during his time in office. He is now a force that wants to stay in power, not hand power to new candidates.
13 February, 2022
Xi reaffirms 'comprehensive strategic partnership' in meeting with Sisi
The Chinese president also stressed the “comprehensive strategic partnership” between Beijing and Cairo that has become “a model of solidarity between China and Arab, African and developing countries.”
14 February, 2022
The Horn of Africa States – A New Regional Block
After a nearly two decades old antagonistic relationship between Ethiopia and Eritrea, it ended with a seemingly unexpected rapprochement between the two countries in July 2018.
16 February, 2022
A Conversation With Ghana’s Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia
In an exclusive interview with PAV, Dr Bawumia sheds light on progress with key segments of the agenda of President Akufo Addo under his purview, COVID 19, and other seminal developments across the continent.
17 February, 2022
Can Africa Unite?
The AU and the EU, both together and individually, must focus their efforts on the appropriate vehicles for attaining this goal. For its part, the AU will need to establish stronger institutions capable of nurturing economic growth and ensuring that its gains are widely shared. As recent coups in West Africa show, many African countries have a long way to go to establish good governance and thereby provide for their populations.
19 February, 2022
Russia and the Maghreb: Future Geostrategic Perspectives?
Today, the Maghreb is not a fundamental interest for Russia, but rather a source of economic and political opportunities. The Russian redeployment in the Maghreb, which began during Vladimir Putin's second term in 2004 and has been over the last decade, relies on new vectors, distinct from the old anti-imperialist aura from which the Soviet Union had benefited in Algeria and Libya.
23 February, 2022
African Students Further Expose the Racist Character of the Ukrainian State
As western media outlets seek to build sympathy for the NATO-backed regime in Kiev, Africans and others oppressed groups are facing targeted discrimination and violence.
3 March, 2022
How Russia Will Counterpunch the U.S./EU Declaration of War
One of the key underlying themes of the Russia/Ukraine/NATO matrix is that the Empire of Lies (copyright Putin) has been rattled to the core by the combined ability of Russian hypersonic missiles and a defensive shield capable of blocking incoming nuclear missiles from the West, thereby ending Mutually Assured Destruction (M.A.D.)
6 March, 2022
Why Did U.S. Prioritize Containing China Over Russia?
These calculations seemingly changed sometime around last fall, when everything began to get much more intense in Europe. A decision had apparently been made to not sincerely negotiate with Russia in good faith and, if anything, perhaps even provoke the Kremlin into taking the kinetic action that U.S. intelligence subsequently claimed that it was preparing to authorize.
17 March, 2022
Climate Change Impacting Southern Africa from Malawi to Madagascar
The countries of Mozambique, Malawi and Madagascar contribute almost nothing to the advent of climate disasters. These states should be assisted with relief efforts and the building of infrastructure designed to minimize the impact of cyclones and other serious weather disturbances.
24 March, 2022
Will Libyan oil compensate for the lack of Russian supplies in Europe?
Since the 2011 revolution and the fall of the Gaddafi regime, Libya has witnessed chaos resulting from divisions and disputes over power, the rise in the influence of two governments in the east and west, armed groups, and external interventions from Europe, America, Russia, and Turkey.
26 March, 2022
Spain Abandons Former Colony in the Western Sahara Endorsing Morocco Domination
Algeria, which has been a longtime advocate for liberation movements on the continent, has continued to demand that the UN abide by its legal obligations with respect to the SADR. Algiers routinely challenges on a diplomatic level those entities which support the continued colonization of the Western Sahara.
27 March, 2022
Derry Delegation Visits Detroit to Commemorate 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday
This massacre became known as Bloody Sunday where the Catholic residents of Derry were protesting against the discrimination and oppression instituted by a British occupation of the territory which extended back several centuries.
11 April, 2022
The Total War to Cancel Russia
The stated aims are “demilitarization” and “denazification” of a future neutral Ukraine – but geopolitically reach way beyond: the aim is to turn the post-1945 European collective security arrangement upside down, forcing NATO to understand and come to terms with the concept of “indivisible security”. This is an extremely complex process that will reach the next decade.
11 April, 2022
After 60 Years of Independence Algeria Remains a Center of International Affairs
France along with other European imperialist states such as Spain, Portugal, Britain, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the United States had met in Berlin in 1884-1885 where they carved up the African continent into spheres of interests based upon their overall strengths economically and militarily.
13 April, 2022
South African KwaZulu-Natal Province Imperiled by Flooding
These living arrangements are part and parcel of the continuing legacy of the former racist apartheid system which was rooted in segregation to facilitate the super-exploitation of African labor. Africans and other people of color communities were placed in areas of the country which were away from the central cities.
28 April, 2022
United Nations Secretary General Holds Talks in Moscow and Kyiv on Ukraine War
Obviously, the U.S. and NATO actions indicate that the Biden administration and its European allies are not interested in a speedy conclusion to the war in Ukraine. The sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the EU has created a crisis in Western Europe where several leading states such as Germany are continuing, out of necessity, to purchase oil and natural gas from the Russian Federation.
3 May, 2022
Detroit’s Fiscal Budget: A Case Study in Corporate Domination
These developments in Detroit represent a microcosm of the U.S. as a whole. There is an inflation rate of more than 8% not witnessed in more than four decades. At the same time, the Biden administration has provoked a conventional war with Russia over the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) further into Eastern Europe.
14 May, 2022
Libya still plagued by conflict: there is no hope for stability
The Tripoli Municipal Council revealed that five people were injured; four of them are civilians, the fifth belongs to Diplomatic Security, and a member of the “166th Brigade” Misurata supporting Bashagha was killed, in the vicinity of the Al-Nawasi Brigade camp.
26 May, 2022
Congress Passes Anti-Russia Bill Reinforcing Neo-colonialism in Africa
Russian military operations in Ukraine are in response to Washington and Wall Street’s efforts to expand the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) deeper into Eastern Europe as a direct threat to the interests of the Russian Federation and its allies.
15 June, 2022
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