Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng, says the “comrades plus brothers” special bond between China and South Africa is growing and that the bilateral relations between the two countries have entered a golden era. Peng made these remarks following a courtesy call to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday, August 28th. China is currently South Africa’s largest trading partner and serves as a key source of foreign direct investments (FDI). In 2023, the China-South Africa bilateral trade reached…

The new Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is set to be held on 4-6 September, which will outline the measures of China-Africa cooperation in the next three years and beyond. Before this event, on 15 August, a seminar themed The Governance of China: Forging a Closer China-Africa Community of Shared Future was held in Pretoria, South Africa, by CICG Centre for Europe and Africa, which was attended by more than 70 participants, including South African and…

Given the rate at which youth population in numerous African countries is growing, the continent promises to emerge as a major consumption market in the coming decades. More than 70 percent of Africa’s population is under the age of 35, and by 2030, 42 percent of the world’s young people are expected to reside on the continent. This data points to the potential the continent has to quickly industrialise, develop its economic scale, and innovate in order to compete on…

Talking about space and Africa, Zambia stands out because of an incredible story. As early as 1964, a Zambian teacher named Edward Nkoloso famously vowed to help his country to beat America to become the first country to put a man on the moon, and then go to Mars. Despite his passion to launch a rocket that would send 12 astronauts, a space girl and cats to the moon, Nkoloso’s dream never came to fruition. Through his Zambian Space Academy,…

In an inspirational speech in 1996, then South African Deputy President Thabo Mbeki said, “Whatever the setbacks of the moment, nothing can stop us now! Whatever the difficulties, Africa shall be at peace! However improbable it may sound to the sceptics, Africa will prosper!”   The 37th African Union (AU) Summit was convened in Addis Ababa on 17 February, where leaders from across Africa converged to deliberate on pressing issues and chart a course for the future of the continent. The…

The second Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Agriculture (FOCACA) held in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province, from 13 to 15 November 2023 has emerged as a catalyst for enhanced food cooperation between China and Africa. The outcomes of this pivotal event deepened the commitment of the two sides to cooperation, focusing on mutual benefit, sustainable development, and common prosperity. China’s exemplary development journey, marked by lifting millions out of poverty through a people-centred approach, serves as a beacon for Africa’s…

It is truly remarkable to see the substantial progress that the African Union has achieved in implementing the Agenda 2063 in its initial decade from 2014 to 2023. This period has witnessed significant accomplishments that have laid the foundation for Africa’s development, collaboration, and strategic partnerships.   One of the most noteworthy achievements during this timeframe is the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This visionary initiative, incorporated within the Agenda 2063 framework, is a pivotal stride towards…