Africa

Report: Hundreds of Wagner Mercenaries Arrive in Central African Republic

A Russian paramilitary group called COSI said in a Sunday post on the messaging platform Telegram that hundreds of “experienced” Wagner Group mercenaries are pouring into the Central African Republic (CAR) to “ensure security” ahead of a July 30 referendum that could give President Faustin-Archange Touadera a third term in office.

This undated photograph handed out by French military shows three Russian mercenaries, right, in northern Mali. Russia's Wagner Group, a private military company led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a rogue millionaire with longtime links to Russia's President Vladimir Putin, has played a key role in the fighting in Ukraine and also …

Chinese Navy Pays Rare Five-Day Visit to Nigeria

A fleet of Chinese warships made port in Nigeria on Sunday for a five-day visit, a rare show of Chinese naval strength in West Africa hailed by China’s ambassador as a “major event in the relations” between the two countries, and between China and Africa at large.

Major General Su Yingsheng's Chinese navy training ship ''Qi Juguang'' is greeted by members of the Philippine Navy and Chinese Embassy officials. The visit of the ship is a component of the friendship between China and the Philippines getting stronger. Public access to the ship will be available until June …

South African Police Visit China for Talks, Training with Counterparts

South African Police Minister Bheki Cele and a group of his senior officials visited China last week for five days of discussions and training with Chinese police officials. Their schedule included talks about security preparations for the August BRICS summit to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, and security for projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

A Chinese paramilitary policeman stands in front of the South African flag (R) and Chinese flag flying together in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on December 4, 2014. South African President Jacob Zuma began a four-day visit to China on Dec 4. AFP PHOTO/Greg BAKER (Photo by Greg Baker / AFP) (Photo …

China Plays Both Sides in Sudan Conflict, Hoping to Swoop in with Investments Later

Voice of America News (VOA) reported on Tuesday that while the international community is nervously monitoring the brutal war between factions of the Sudanese junta and scrambling to deal with the ensuing humanitarian disaster, Communist China is moving full speed ahead with plans to “advance its own interests” in Sudan’s oil and mineral resources.

Xi Jinping

Nigeria Claims to Shut Down Nearly 300 Illegal Oil Refineries

The Premium Times of Nigeria on Tuesday published an update from the Nigerian government on its war against oil poachers. According to the Eastern Command of the Nigerian Navy, 27 smuggling vessels were captured over the past year, and 294 illegal refineries were located and shut down.

A view of an illegal oil refinery destroyed by members of the NNS Pathfinder of the Nigerian Navy forces is pictured on April 19, 2017 in the Niger Delta region near the city of Port Harcourt. NNS Pathfinder of the Nigerian Navy forces are cracking down on illegal oil refineries …

Kamala Harris Gifts Ghana $139 Million on Africa Trip

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Ghana on Monday. She praised the “democratic principles” of President Nana Akufo-Addo and pledged $139 million in assistance for the coming fiscal year, plus a share of various regional initiatives, including economic support and counter-terrorism programs.

Vice President Kamala Harris with President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana on Monday. She pledged $139 million in assistance for the coming fiscal year. (The Presidency-Republic of Ghana)

Mysterious Outbreak of Deadly Marburg Virus Spreads in Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea

The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) said on Thursday that eight new cases of the deadly Marburg disease have been reported in Equatorial Guinea, bringing the total of confirmed and probable cases to 20 since the mysterious outbreak began in February. Tanzania surprisingly reported five deaths this week in that country’s first known Marburg infections.

A child suffering from malaria lies on a bed at the hospital of Nyarugusu, in north west of Tanzania, on June 11, 2015. AFP PHOTO/STEPHANIE AGLIETTI (Photo credit should read STEPHANIE AGLIETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

SVB Collapse Threatens Africa’s Fragile Tech Sector

The implosion of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) is sending shockwaves around the world, reaching all the way to Africa, where fragile tech startups are worried that more banks will fail, destroying their supply of much-needed venture capital.

A vendor talks on a smartphone inside a market on Broad Street in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, Feb. 20, 2023. Africa's most populous nation heads to the polls on Saturday, and the next president will inherit an economy and country on its knees. Photographer: Benson Ibeabuchi/Bloomberg via Getty Images