Published commentary by Dr Kelly Alexander.

There is a leaked memo stemming from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's desk. It was prepared by the US State Department's Bureau of African Affairs, and it outlines, in the unsentimental language of US "diplomacy", how the United States plans to bring Zambia to heel.

We're used to the notion of American exceptionalism. But the tidal wave of isolationist and protectionist policies that is about to hit us comes at a bad time, when wars — hot, cold and trade — are destabilising the geopolitical landscape.

Pageantry, photo opportunities, red carpets and high-level delegations. The Forum on China-Africa Co-operation made global headlines last week as China courted the leaders of most African states. Now that the dust has settled, it's useful to think about what we can learn from it.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán paid a few hard-to-miss, high-level, surprise visits to celebrate the start of his country's chairmanship of the European Union. In doing so, he caused a diplomatic storm that reverberated across the continent.

The European Union's climate policy is primarily characterised by one-way traffic. This is particularly true for African economies. These African players are now confronted with new measures to green and protect the European economy, without adequate preparation or engagement.

Het Europese klimaatbeleid bestaat voornamelijk uit eenrichtingsverkeer. Dat geldt helemaal zo voor Afrikaanse economieën, die onvoorbereid en zonder overleg worden geconfronteerd met nieuwe maatregelen die de Europese economie moeten vergroenen én beschermen. (English translation available below the article.)

Het Europese klimaatbeleid bestaat voornamelijk uit eenrichtingsverkeer. Dat geldt helemaal zo voor Afrikaanse economieën, die onvoorbereid en zonder overleg worden geconfronteerd met nieuwe maatregelen die de Europese economie moeten vergroenen én beschermen. (English translation available below the article.)