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.
US-Africa Leaders Summit: Washington ‘playing catch-up’ with Russia and China
Gustavo de Carvalho, senior researcher of African governance and diplomacy at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), spoke to Fox News Digital about what African leaders will be looking for from the summit.
The US courts Africa at US-Africa Leaders Summit
The White House is hosting more than 40 African leaders this week in an attempt to close the diplomatic distance of the Trump years as the world vies for the continent’s attention and resources. Gustavo de Carvalho, a senior researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, was interviewed by the New York Times […]
Russia-Africa Summit: Sergey Lavrov embarks on courtship and assessment tour
Steven Gruzd, Head of the African Governance and Diplomacy Programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), speaks to Modern Diplomacy about Russia-Africa relations.
South Africa: UK state visit a nod to SA’s role on the global stage
The United Kingdom rolling out the red carpet to host South Africa for a State Visit for the first time under a new monarch, is testament that the country on the southernmost tip of the African continent is still an important player on the international stage.
UK state visit a nod to SA’s role on the global stage
‘It is an honour for President Ramaphosa to be the first invited by the new King, and it sends a signal that South Africa remains an important country, worthy of engaging with, and playing a critical role on the world stage again,’ said Head of the African Governance and Diplomacy Programme at the South African […]
A paralysed G20 hinders the development agenda
The G20 is facing the same problem that became apparent during the UN Security Council on the resolutions on Ukraine: the forum is at risk of turning into a fighting ring, where great powers play out their rivalry. If this happens, the rifts between advanced economies and the developing world will deepen, just at a time […]