The end of the year 2023 and the beginning of 2024 mark a remarkable phase in China-Africa relations. This relationship has evolved significantly and Africa continues to register key milestones in its economic development, particularly in trade, investment and infrastructure. The remarkable growth can be attributed to initiatives by the Chinese government such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and China International Import Expo (CIIE), among others. Of these, the BRI has been the…

The EU started to design the 13th and the 14th packages of sanctions against Russia, Tomáš Zdechovský, Czech MEP, claimed in Dec 2023. With almost 19,000 sanction measures implemented so far by the collective West against it, Russia has already become the world’s most sanctioned country ever. We treat sanctions as a sort of ‘levy’, the price our country has to pay to remain sovereign in today’s Western-dominated world (as the true multipolarity is yet to come into being). History…

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…

The diplomatic protocol of the Chinese foreign minister beginning a year’s foreign visits in Africa highlights the distinct Chinese characteristics and style in its relations with Africa. For more than 30 years, such visits have allowed Chinese foreign ministers to engage in face-to-face discussions and learn first-hand about the economic and social development in Africa, thereby helping China to deepen its understanding of the continent and adjust its Africa policies. These visits reflect China’s diplomatic philosophy of integrating knowledge and…

In the recent unveiling of matric results for the class of 2023, the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) emerged as a beacon of educational success, achieving a remarkable pass rate of 86.36%. This significant milestone represents a commendable 3.63 percentage point increase compared to the province’s performance in 2022, propelling KZN to the coveted position of the second-highest performing province in the nation. The African People First (APF) takes a moment to not only celebrate this triumph but also to delve…

Congratulations have been pouring in after Limpopo’s outstanding matric pass rate – 79.5%, a 7.4% improvement from 2022 – which earned the province the title of the most improved in the country. On Friday, the province announced its matric results in Polokwane at a ceremony attended by dignitaries, including Zion Christian Church (Z.C.C) leader, His Grace the Right Reverend, Bishop Dr Barnabas Lekganyane.  On Thursday, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga congratulated the province during the announcement of the 2023…

Mikhail Natenzon is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Telemedicine Agency, a member of the Board of the Russian Telemedicine Consortium, and a senior researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 1972, he graduated from the Moscow Institute of Electronic Engineering (Moscow State Institute of Electronics and Mathematics) with a degree in Applied Mathematics. He is a co-author of the project of the National Telemedicine System of the Russian Federation. In 2014 he initiated the…

The year 2023 marked the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the 10th year since Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Africa in 2013, his first foreign visit after taking office, during which he proposed the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith for China’s Africa policy and the principle of upholding justice while pursuing shared interests. It also marked the opening chapter of China-Africa joint efforts towards modernisation following the 20th National Congress of…

On the eve of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in August, Chinese President Xi Jinping met his South African counterpart, President Cyril Ramaphosa. After the pomp and ceremony at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the two leaders and their ministers announced a raft of bilateral agreements across many fields.  One of the agreements, signed by South African Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza and Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, allowed South African farmers…

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…