U.S. Capitol breach was a shot heard round the world
In this Council of Councils global perspectives roundup, members of five leading think tanks reflect on the impact of the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The attacks left leaders and publics in many democracies stunned, reassured, or determined to play a bigger role in preserving democratic order in the world.
What is the Real Story of China’s “Hidden Debt”?
On September 29, AidData, a research lab at William & Mary,
released a detailed overview of their new data on China’s global lending,
Banking on the Belt and Road.
Zambia’s Chinese Debt in the Pandemic Era
In November 2020, Zambia became the first African country to
default on its Eurobonds during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing the
country’s debt distress into headlines around the world.
Twenty Years of Data on China’s Africa Lending
China’s lending to Africa has remained significant in 2019, but its
nature is changing.
Private Security Companies in Kenya and The Impact of Chinese Actors
Without the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) protection overseas, who should provide security for Chinese companies and citizens? How do host countries and private actors contribute to public security in Africa?
Railpolitik: Ethiopia’s Rail Ambitions and Chinese Development Finance
Railways have been one of the most visible manifestations of China’s economic statecraft in Africa, where Chinese development finance has supported state-owned enterprises in winning overseas construction contracts.
How Zambia and China Co-Created a Debt ‘Tragedy of the Commons’
In November 2020, Zambia became the first African country to default on its Eurobonds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
China’s Digital Silk Road in Africa and the Future of Internet Governance
This study provides a preliminary analysis of the Digital Silk Road (DSR) entails in Africa. We seek to understand its effectiveness as a policy initiative by measuring its relationship to the Chinese government’s promotion of ‘cyber sovereignty’.
Chinese Resource-Backed Infrastructure Financing Investments: Comparing Governance in Guinea and Ghana
As part of a larger trend of Chinese natural resources—for—infrastructure (RFI) agreements in Africa, Guinea and Ghana signed multi-billion-dollar agreements in 2017 and 2018, respectively, tied to their rich bauxite reserves, the primary source of aluminum.
A Comparative Analysis: Chinese and Indian Exim Bank Finance in Ethiopia
Over the last decade, development assistance has increasingly acknowledged the need to ‘do development differently’ (e.g., Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation — PDIA) and ‘think and work politically,’ rather than proposing one—size-fits—all solutions to solve complex development problems.