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.

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 […]