Executive Summary: Xi Jinping’s ascension to the office of State President led to an outburst in diplomatic activity that lasted until the coronavirus pandemic. Breaking with Hu Jintao’s later years, Xi made more trips than his Prime Minister and engaged in a greater number of... MORE

Executive Summary: As Moscow seeks to expand its influence in Africa, Moscow aims to unify all Russian soldiers in Africa, including former Wagnerites who were loyal to the late Yevgeny Prigozhin, into a single effective Africa Corps. That effort has not gone well, and this... MORE

Executive Summary: Weapons manufactured in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are increasingly falling into the hands of militant groups across Africa, with key contributors being state-owned defense contractors like Norinco. However, it is unclear how the weapons reach these groups. Militant groups such as... MORE

Executive Summary: In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, governments in Eastern Europe have begun reducing the presence of the Russian language in their education systems to combat Moscow’s influence and the Russification of their populations. The preservation of the Russian language abroad is... MORE

Executive Summary: The BRICS summit, held in Kazan, was met with great fanfare in Russian propaganda. Propagandists hailed it for its “epochal” significance. Moscow commentators promoted the idea that the BRICS summit demonstrated that Russia is not and cannot be isolated in the international arena.... MORE

Executive Summary: Over the past months, Russia’s “Africa Corps,” which is mostly made up of former Wagnerites, in Africa’s Sahel states have faced numerous blows from jihadist groups. These defeats have begun to raise questions about the future of Russian military forces in the region... MORE

Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has successfully used its hosting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to burnish its soft power and its credentials to be seen as the leader of the Global South. Close political alignment on core issues, including African... MORE

Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has an extensive taxonomy of diplomatic relations, with at least 42 unique combinations of adjectives for different partnerships. The PRC has never delineated the ranking of these partnerships explicitly, though there is enough available information to determine... MORE

Executive Summary: The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has been expanding its activities in Africa, including aiding in Moscow’s recruitment of locals for its paramilitary needs through religious belief. African students working and living in Russia under the guise of reconstructing ROC monasteries in Ryazan oblast... MORE

Executive Summary: The July attack by Tuareg rebels in Mali that killed Malian government troops and Wagner Group mercenaries has been connected to Ukraine, causing substantial international backlash for Kyiv. The death of multiple members of Mali’s army in the attack would mean Ukraine was... MORE