Vol 5 (AAC) No 6 | GHANACHINA Wary of pipeline politics 28th March 2012 Political and technical worries are holding back progress on the ambitious plans for a national gas industry Planning and construction work on Ghana’s US$850 million gas pipeline is slowing down because the lead contractor – China’s Sinopec – fears that national elections in December could...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 6 | GHANACHINA The three billion dollar question 28th March 2012 The government’s decision to borrow US$3 billion from the China Development Bank (CDB) has become a key election issue, much to the irritation of the authorities in Beijing,...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 6 | CHINAAFRICA Think-tanks and policy-makers 28th March 2012 China’s rocketing trade and political engagement with Africa are driving the growth in think-tanks and policy fora on Asia-Africa relations A new report from the United States’ Social Sciences Research Council highlights the links between research and China-Africa trade and diplomacy. A Preliminary Mapping of China-Africa Knowledge...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 6 | CHINAAFRICA Africa studying China 28th March 2012 The numbers of African institutions studying China are far fewer than those of Chinese institutions studying Africa. Regional studies programmes are often poorly financed, but joint research projects...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 6 | CHINAAFRICA China studying Africa 28th March 2012 Public universities and government-backed think-tanks dominate Chinese research on Africa. Most ministries host official research institutions, which have limited independence.
Vol 5 (AAC) No 6 | NIGERCHINABRIEFING Pressure at the pumps 28th March 2012 President Mahamadou Issoufou is under pressure to reduce petrol prices at the pump. On 23 March, the Syndicat National des Travailleurs du Commerce (Syntracom)warned that unless the government...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 6 | TANZANIACHINABRIEFING Air Tanzania soars no more 28th March 2012 The former Chief Executive Officer of troubled Air Tanzania Corporation Limited, David Mattaka, and two others appeared in court on 21 March to answer charges of abuse of...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 5 | ZAMBIACHINA Lusaka welcomes Asia, again 28th February 2012 President Michael Sata tries to balance Chinese investors’ interests and his populist policies The former scourge of Chinese investors, President Michael Chilufya Sata, has reshuffled his Patriotic Front government to placate Asian and other investors and to streamline economic policy. On...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 5 | ZAMBIACHINA Winners and losers in the contract rush 28th February 2012 Chinese investment in Zambia continues to boom under President Michael Sata’s Patriotic Front government, despite the rhetoric of his unruly ministers.
Vol 5 (AAC) No 5 | CHINAAFRICA Beijing resets its Africa policy amid economic success 28th February 2012 Hit by wars, piracy and corruption claims, Chinese companies adapt to Africa’s fast-changing politics Hostage-taking, festering regional disputes and rising domestic criticism are all complicating the politics of Beijing’s Africa policy.