A $10 million Chinese-built bridge in western Kenya, personally commissioned by president Uhuru Kenyatta, has collapsed. At least 27 workers were injured when the bridge…
China in Africa
Chinese conglomerates are making the most of Africa's cheap labor, natural resources, and need for infrastructure. We examine how much those countries benefit; what political influence China gets from its investments; and the culture clashes that arise between locals and Chinese already living and working in African countries both large and small.
THERE MIGHT BE GIANTS
An ancient Islamic city has been found under an Ethiopian town where local lore spoke of giants
The residents of Harlaa, a small town in eastern Ethiopia, have always suspected there was something special about their city. For years farmers have been…
MUKULA
Chinese demand for rosewood furniture is decimating a rare, slow-growing species of African tree
The making of traditional Chinese furniture is an art form whose craftsmanship dates back as far as 1,000 BC. The furniture is made from hongmu,…
SCENARIOS
How to save Africa’s elephants, according to game theory
It’s no exaggeration to say that African elephants are in grave danger. The forest elephant, native to Central Africa, is on the edge of extinction.…
FRENEMIES
China is in the middle of diplomatic spat with one of its oldest allies in Africa
Zambian authorities have detained 31 Chinese citizens on suspicion of illegal copper mining, according to Chinese officials who have formally complained about the arrest. “The…
TRADING ON SUFFERING
An African ranger’s message to Hong Kong’s ivory traders: Stop this now, “preferably today”
Erick Mararv, a frontline fighter in the battle against elephant ivory poaching, has been shot while on a mission to stop the hunters who prey…
MADARAKA EXPRESS
Kenya’s $3.2 billion Nairobi-Mombasa rail line opens with help from China
More than a 100 years ago, the British opened the “Lunatic Express,” a 600-mile railway running through Uganda and Kenya, to cement its colonial claims…
NEW SILK ROAD
China’s One Belt One Road initiative will need Africa’s support to work
Chinese president Xi Jinping made it clear at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that the world should abandon protectionism and commit itself to…
SEA CHANGE
Gambians are accusing a Chinese company of destroying their coastline
Villagers in the Gambia are accusing a Chinese company of polluting a local wildlife reserve. According to local media and environmentalists, a Chinese fish meal…
ONE BELT, ONE ROAD
There’s one major pitfall for African countries along China’s new Silk Road
China’s campaign to build a massive network of land and sea links connecting Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa is expected to benefit the…
STEPPING UP
China doubled its investment spend in Africa in 2016 as US and UK fell
Like the rest of the rest of the world, Africa remains uncertain about what’s to come after high-stakes elections in the United States of America…
GLOBALIZATION FROM BELOW
The best days of selling cheap Chinese goods in Africa are over
Nairobi, Kenya In just 20 years, a sleepy residential neighborhood east of Nairobi’s central business district has become one of the most globally connected trade…
