LIBYACHINA Castles made of sand 13th July 2011 Image courtesy of Panos Pictures View site Instability in the Middle East and North Africa has put pressure on China’s non-interference principle, pushing it into more pragmatic territory Beijing signalled the biggest change in its Africa policy when it decided to accept the National Transitional Council as a negotiating partner in the peace talks between Colonel Moammar el Gadaffi and Libya’s rebel groups. China had been reluctant to give a new rebel group in Africa the time of day, worried that North American or European leaders would adopt a similar stance toward the Dalai Lama, Uyghur separatists in western China or a Taiwanese president – all players in disputes that China considers its internal affairs.
MOROCCOCHINA Progress noted 13th July 2011 Image courtesy of Panos Pictures View site In late June, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced its support for the constitutional changes that will allow King Mohammed VI to maintain power while giving...
ZIMBABWECHINA Polish to a shine 13th July 2011 Image courtesy of Panos Pictures View site Beijing frets over the image of Chinese companies as the Zimbabwean opposition rails against more loans and Chinese diamond miners Unionists and civil society members point to the close ties between the ruling parties of China and Zimbabwe to explain the lack of oversight of Chinese companies operating...
SOUTH AFRICAZIMBABWETAIWAN Trucking trials 13th July 2011 The trial of Jack Hsieh (Hsieh Ping-sung) and his four truckers, accused of defrauding powerful Zimbabwean interests, rumbles on. Hsieh, who is from Taiwan and has South African...
CONGO-KINSHASACHINA Shifting foundation 13th July 2011 The terms of the mines-for-infrastructure contract are flexible, which is good because they’re up for negotiation again The Congolese authorities have signalled yet another revision to the historic US$6 billion mines-for-infrastructure deal between the government and a Chinese consortium. China Railways Engineering Corporation, Sinohydro and...
AFRICAASIA You can pick your friends 13th July 2011 The India-Japan joint Africa summit highlights an evolving network of new partnerships seeking to strengthen development, trade and political ties with African countries. Countries have tended to cooperate...
GHANASOUTH KOREA Slow movers 13th July 2011 The opposition and ruling parties grow anxious as the STX housing deal shows no progress on its first anniversary A year after it was first proposed, the US$1.5 billion housing deal between a South Korean company, STX, and the Ghanaian government is no nearer completion. The contract...
SOUTH KOREAAFRICA The Bulldozer arrives 13th July 2011 South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (aka “Bulldozer”) secured Pyeongchang’s 2018 Winter Olympic bid on his trip to Durban, South Africa, that began 6 July. He then signed deals...
SIERRA LEONECHINA Not so fast, Frank 13th July 2011 Businessman Vasile Frank Timis, the Chairman of African Minerals Limited (AML), has signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese partners to develop a project that has already...
GHANACHINA Squatters, pipes and rails 13th July 2011 After only two years in office, the National Democratic Congress government has increased Ghana’s total debt from US$8.1 billion at the end of 2008 to $13.4 bn. in...
MALAYSIAAFRICA Smart partnerships 13th July 2011 Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak inaugurated a coordinated attempt to strengthen economic ties with Africa by hosting the first Malaysia-Africa Business Forum on 18 June. It...
SINGAPORE Sellapan Ramanathan 13th July 2011 President Sellapan Ramanathan, more frequently known as S.R. Nathan, will step down at the end of his second six-year term on 1 September. The 87-year-old was still spry enough...
UNITED STATES Hillary Rodham Clinton 13th July 2011 Secretary of State On her June trip to the United Arab Emirates, Zambia, Tanzania and Ethiopia, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton highlighted two issues: the international coalition’s inability to shake the...
JAPAN Sumio Kusaka 13th July 2011 Director General for African Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs In June, Sumio Kusaka led a delegation to New Delhi for the second India-Japan Dialogue on Africa. With his counterpart Gurjit Singh, Additional Secretary at India’s Ministry of...