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Africa
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Africa

Africa
Africa
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Africa. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
A woman takes an iris scan to link her Aadhar card with the National Register of Citizens at a passport service centre in Barpeta district in India’s north-eastern state of Assam in 2019. Without data governance mechanisms, Global South data could end up being extracted and monetised by foreign platforms for their own gains. Photo: AFP
Technology

Opinion | The danger in the Global South’s pursuit of AI as a magical cure

Rushing in without local R&D, literacy or governance risks leaving countries as testing grounds and passive consumers of foreign tech.

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DR Congo

DR Congo to receive third-country deportees from US under deal

My Take

My Take | Why Beijing is now the only true partner of Africa and Latin America

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China-Africa relations

Opinion | China’s growing North Africa presence a structural challenge for Europe

Cooperate or hedge? Growing Chinese energy, infrastructure and industrial investments require a sustained, coordinated European response.

Engineers walk next to solar panels at the Benban Solar Park, one of the world’s largest solar power plant in the world, in Aswan, Egypt, on October 19, 2022. Photo: AP
China-Africa relations

Chinese surveillance rolled out in Africa: ZTE, Hikvision, Huawei at the helm

China’s ‘safe city’ project can counter terrorism and curb crime but critics worry it may repress political opposition and peaceful protests.

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Scams and swindles

Cambodia’s high-stakes war on online scam compounds

Cambodia has vowed to stamp out the scam compounds on its soil by month’s end – but perpetrators remain drawn to the potential for huge profits.

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Crime

Man stabs 4 children to death at Uganda kindergarten

The male suspect, in his thirties, gained access by posing as a parent before attacking children aged around two and three with a knife.

Uganda police officers stand at the crime scene after a man killed four children in an attack at the Gaba Early Childhood Development Program nursery school in Kampala, Uganda on Thursday. Photo: AP
China-Middle East relations

China’s Iran war strategy, Trump’s Hormuz ask: 7 global relations reads

From a China-Israel call on Iran to an unlikely nuclear deal, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in March 2026.

China-Africa relations

China gains ground in DR Congo’s mining sector as Australian firm loses permits

Chinese firms emerge as preferred partners as African nations seek bigger returns on critical mineral extraction.

Science

As Mandarin dominates Cantonese, this Hong Kong AI firm is pushing back

Hong Kong-based tech firm Votee AI aims to replicate its model for other low-resource languages in Southeast Asia and Africa.

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Unlike Mandarin, English or Spanish, which have vast troves of digital text for AI training, Cantonese lacks written text that accurately reflects how it is spoken. Image: Shutterstock
China-Africa relations

China and Kenya partner to finish ‘most consequential’ rail project

New financing breathes life into long-stalled Standard Gauge Railway extension across African country at estimated cost of US$5.4 billion.

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Kenyan President William Ruto tightens a railway line bolt during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Naivasha-Kisumu–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway extension in Narok, Kenya, on March 19. Photo: Xinhua
Taiwan

Names and games: Taipei hits back over ‘China’ label, but will it pay off?

Taiwan retaliates against countries that have changed its name in official systems, but analysts and lawmakers warn measures could backfire.

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Crime

Mob retaliates after gunmen kill 12 in Nigeria bar

27 people in total were killed between the shooting and the retaliatory violence.

Artificial intelligence

ByteDance adds watermarking, IP checks to Seedance 2.0 ahead of global launch

TikTok parent ByteDance says guardrails will protect Seedance 2.0 as it expands globally despite intense scrutiny from Hollywood.

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Video-generation model Seedance 2.0 is displayed at the Zhongguancun Exhibition Center in Beijing on March 25.Photo: Xinhua
China-Africa relations

Why are smugglers swarming East Africa for ants to send to China and Europe?

A black market in harvester ants has sprung up in Kenya, with big implications for the environment.

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Kenya’s Wildlife Service detected five cases of smugglers trying to take live queen ants out of the country on flights last year. Photo: AP
Trade

Opinion | As Trump wrecks trade, WTO meeting in Cameroon is a show of defiance

Trade ministerial conference shows that most nations still value multilateral cooperation over the chaotic whims of a hegemon.

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China-Africa relations

Kenya secures trade deal with China amid rising debt, US competition

Nairobi reaches a zero-tariff trade agreement with Beijing allowing Kenya to expand exports but it must tread carefully due to Washington.

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United Nations

UN designates African slave trade as ‘gravest crime against humanity’

US, Israel and Argentina opposed the UN measure, while Britain and EU member states abstained.

An 1853 illustration depicting slaves and slave traders on the coast of Africa. Photo: Chicago History Museum via Getty Images
US, Israel war on Iran

African producers may have energy edge in Iran war, if they can overcome hurdles

Analysts say oil from Africa may be lower-risk alternative, coinciding with a fresh push for infrastructure to supply Europe.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war delivers new stress to African economies emerging from older shocks

Afreximbank is implementing measures to give financial help to African countries dependent on fuel imports, bank president says.

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Mergers & Acquisitions

China’s Zijin Mining clinches US$2.6b Chifeng Gold takeover in expansion drive

The acquisition boosts Zijin’s reserves amid resource nationalism, giving it control of Chifeng’s assets in Asia and Africa.

The acquisition comes two months after Zijin Mining proposed to buy Canadian Allied Gold as part of its global expansion. Photo: Shutterstock
100 Top Tables: Cities of Gastronomy

International Cities of Gastronomy Fest Macao launches 10-day celebration

As the city hosts the 10-day celebration, its centuries-old fusion cuisine is embracing a new wave of global chefs and bold ideas.

Supported by
Macau Government Tourism Office
Home to a mix of cultures, traditions and flavours, Macau was already a pioneer of fusion food long before the term for this creative cuisine was invented. Photo: Getty Images
100 Top Tables: Cities of Gastronomy

Young chefs are turning food traditions into tools for global change

Flora Igoe of the Youth Culture Programme is mobilising young chefs to safeguard food heritage and drive agrifood systems transformation.

Supported by
Macau Government Tourism Office
Sudan

64 killed – including 13 children – in attack on Sudan hospital, WHO says

Healthcare facilities have been a regular target throughout the war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

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Madagascar

Madagascar’s leader orders lie detector tests for prospective ministers

President Randrianirina orders polygraph screening, seeking people who are more than ‘60 per cent clean’.

President Michael Randrianirina. Photo: Reuters
European Union

Hundreds die crossing Mediterranean as 2026 already smashes records

At least 655 migrants died or went missing in January and February taking one of the deadliest migration routes in the world.

Migrants from Syria and Libya call for help as they are assisted by Spanish NGO Open Arms south of the Italian island of Lampedusa in 2022. Photo: AP
China food security

China taps reserves as Iran war disrupts 30% of global fertiliser trade

War in the Middle East is causing global disruption – from oil to agriculture – as countries, including China, enter spring planting season.

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Hong Kong stock market

China-based Cosco Shipping Ports expects ‘limited’ impact from Iran conflict

Unit of Cosco Shipping reports 1.1 per cent profit increase on 6.2 per cent rise in throughput in 2025.

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