Dr Oussouby Sacko, dean of Kyoto Seika University in Japan is quite unlike the dean of any other Japanese university. He speaks Japanese with an unmistakable French lilt. He studied in communist China in the 80s…And he’s Black. Starting life in Bamako, Mali, the accomplished architect never imagined he’d make a permanent home in the…

Almost eight years ago, Amedodji Atsu Joseph boarded a plane in Lomé‚ to start the gruelling 23-hour journey from the tiny west African nation of Togo to the sprawling giant of Asia. Three flights later, the then-20-year old finally touched down in Shanghai. Joseph was one of the 35,000 African students to travel to China…

What’s Up With: China & COVAX  Covid-19 has undoubtedly become 2020’s biggest story. But the huge amount of stories and information available makes it difficult to pinpoint what is actually worth knowing in order to keep up with the unfolding of the crisis. In the past few weeks, you might have read headlines such as…

China has offered to back Alpha Condé, Guinea’s president on his re-election on Monday. The news comes as the nation’s president is embroiled in controversy due to concerns around election fraud last month. On Monday, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated: “China and Guinea are good friends… We value our tradition of friendship and…

Following accusations from environmental groups, Zimbabwe’s government revoked permits for Chinese firms to mine Hangwe national park, home to one of the African continent’s largest populations of elephants. Guo Shaochun, China’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, declared that he wished the Zimbabwean government to become more transparent. In a statement made on 10 September, he stressed the…

This year communities across the world seemed to simultaneously get the virtual memo that naming diseases after countries, cities and ethnic groups can have dire consequences for the country (or continent) in question, its economy and those that call said country home. The World Health Organisation’s 2015 guidelines on the naming of new diseases aim…

The first African students to study in China reached the middle kingdom in the mid-50s; since that time the number of students, academics, entrepreneurs, and more hailing from the African continent and knocking at China’s door has risen – and shows no sign of slowing down. And with the deepening of Africa-China relations, seminal works…

As the number of Covid-19 cases climbs across parts of the African continent China has been using this opportunity to show that it stands in solidarity with Africa through donations of PPE and test kits. Countries such as Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal have been on the receiving end of China’s medical aid – whether…

Over the last 11 years, Chinese investments skyrocketed across the African continent. Alongside this expansion, the “debt-trap diplomacy” narrative permeated mainstream media in Africa and the West alike. According to this viewpoint, China purposely seeks to ensnare African nations into a net of debt in order to gain assets or strategic advantages.  What has been…

The 31st of October 2018 may well go down in history for ushering in a new, exciting digital age of Africa-China international trade. The date marks the launch of the Alibaba-led Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) project in Africa. Rwanda was the first African nation to join the initiative by entering into a partnership agreement…

Ghana’s Gold Endowment and the Involvement of Chinese Miners Ghana is endowed with vast reserves of natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable. As the second largest gold miner in Africa, behind South Africa, Ghana is famous for its gold production and was once named the ‘Gold Coast’ because of the abundance of gold. Between 1493-1600,…

There are moments in our life that give us pause and call for a period of reflection. Moments that stop us in our tracks and demand our immediate attention. This is one of those moments for me. Today, something big happened. And I mean BIG. President Xi read my letter – and replied! Opening of…