https://www.scmp.com/rss/524389/feed The latest news and top stories on George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. A Washington DC based professional school of international relations, the Elliott School is dedicated to educating future international leaders, conducting research on global issues and engaging the policy community. Located near the White House and US Department of State, its main areas of focus include international affairs, regional studies, global communication, international... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage As France’s influence fades and with Russian weapons in limited supply, a “military vacuum” has been created in West and Central Africa that China is uniquely positioned to fill, according to analysts. In a January report in the official journal China Military to Civilian, arms supplier China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation said Beijing was leveraging its reputation for “cost-effective technology and flexible financing” in Africa. This follows a wave of military coups across... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342903/how-military-vacuum-west-and-central-africa-opened-new-markets-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342903/how-military-vacuum-west-and-central-africa-opened-new-markets-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China has appointed a new ambassador to Libya after its embassy in Tripoli reopened in November, more than a decade after it was shuttered over security concerns. Ma Xueliang’s appointment was confirmed when he met Libyan charge d’affaires Khaled al-Sayeh in Beijing on January 27 in his new capacity before he left for Tripoli, according to the state-owned Libyan News Agency. China had closed its embassy in Tripoli in 2014 and moved its diplomatic mission to Tunisia because of the security... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342900/china-sends-envoy-libya-after-embassy-shuttered-more-decade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342900/china-sends-envoy-libya-after-embassy-shuttered-more-decade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is equipping Burkina Faso’s military and positioning itself for greater influence in the Sahel, filling a vacuum left by the collapse of security partnerships with Western nations, especially the United States and France. The move is part of a broader modernisation plan that the Burkinabe government, headed by junta leader Ibrahim Traoré, announced in late 2023 amid growing insecurity waged by jihadist militants, mostly affiliated with al-Qaeda and Islamic State. After a complex diplomatic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321831/china-arms-burkina-faso-sahel-turns-away-western-security-promises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321831/china-arms-burkina-faso-sahel-turns-away-western-security-promises?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 11:00:09 +0000