Southern Africa calls the tune as great power suitors queue up
When top Russian and American officials came this week, South Africa and its neighbours were at the centre of a power struggle, giving governments on a continent more used to being buffeted by events than courted a rare opportunity for leverage. In this Reuters interview, Head of the African Governance and Diplomacy Programme at the […]
Sergey Lavrov’s visit to South Africa recalls the proximity between Moscow and Pretoria
On Monday 23 January, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov received a warm welcome from his South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor. The meeting came as South Africa recently confirmed joint military exercises with the Russian and Chinese navies. The holding of these military exercises “is not entirely neutral”, Steven Gruzd, specialist in relations between Russia and South […]
South Africa to side with Russia on push for redesigned global order
Steven Gruzd, head of the Russia-Africa research program at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said the BRICS group has “found a new lease on life” as a result of the Ukraine conflict. The war in Ukraine has revitalised Moscow’s campaign for new organizations to compete with Western-dominated blocs such as the Group of […]
South Africa hosts Russian foreign minister despite criticism
South Africa has defended its warm relations and joint military drills with Russia as it hosts Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on his first visit since the invasion of Ukraine. In this interview with Voice of America, SAIIA’s African Governance and Diplomacy Programme Head, Steven Gruzd, said Lavrov had ‘found some sympathy’ from Pandor and expects […]
Will Zimbabwe’s ban on unprocessed lithium exports advantage China?
Zimbabwe, which has Africa’s largest lithium deposits, thinks it can do better from the price surge. Its Bikita mine, 300km south of the capital Harare, boasts 10.8m tonnes of lithium ore. And the Arcadia Lithium Mine is expected to reach an annual production of 2.5m tonnes, which could equate to $3bn in exports.
South Africa to hold naval drill with Russia and China amid Ukraine war
The New York Times interviewed SAIIA Chief Executive Elizabeth Sidiropoulos about South Africa’s plans to hold joint training exercises off its coast next month with Russia and China. The move was criticized by the United States, which has been trying to rally other countries to isolate Russia over the war in Ukraine.
South Africa to hold naval drill with Russia and China amid Ukraine war
For China, while the stakes are lower, February’s drill will be a reminder that the BRICS alliance is still a global player, said Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, SAIIA’s Chief Executive. BRICS may not be a military alliance like NATO, but it is still presenting itself as a ‘countervailing force to the West’, in an interview with the […]
South Africa criticized for hosting Russian warships amid Ukraine war
South Africa plans to conduct joint military exercises with the Chinese and Russian navies off its east coast next month, despite the Kremlin’s ongoing war on Ukraine. Steven Gruzd, the head of the Russia-Africa program at the South African Institute of International Affairs, says South Africa’s hosting the drills risks its further isolation from the […]
The West, debt and other takeaways from Chinese foreign minister’s Africa trip
For more than three decades it’s been a tradition that the top Chinese diplomat’s first foreign trip is to Africa. Lauren Johnston, a China-Africa researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, was interviewed by Voice of America as Foreign Minister Qin Gang wrapped up his first international tour to Africa this week.
As BRICS chair, South Africa vows to ‘advance African interests’
South Africa has just taken over the BRICS chairmanship from China and will host the group’s annual summit this year — with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa promising more African countries will be invited to attend.