Best Cobus van Staden Podcasts (2024)

1
A New Vision for European Engagement in Africa (Beyond Confronting China) 53:11

9h ago53:11

53:11

Europe is Africa's largest trading partner and its largest source of foreign direct investment. But a lot of that economic engagement is powered by inertia, left over from Europe's long, painful history of colonial exploitation in Africa. Just as in the United States, Europe's politics are decidedly inward-looking where Africa, if it's on the agend…

1
China-Africa Relations as Seen From the United States 39:36

7d ago39:36

39:36

As Chinese engagement in Africa steadily increased over the past twenty-five years, the U.S. has struggled to respond. Africa has consistently been a low priority in U.S. foreign policy, even with China's growing presence on the continent, and that's especially true today as events in the Middle East, Russia, and the South China Sea dominate the ag…

1
Who Gets to Tell the Africa-China Story? 58:29

2d ago58:29

58:29

So much of the framing of Chinese engagement in Africa is done through the prism of Western media, academia, government, and civil society. Stories about debt traps, malign influence, and exploitation are all firmly embedded in the larger discourse about Africa's relations with China. Conversely, the relationship is also framed in equally binary te…

1
The Impact of Chinese Overcapacity on Developing Countries 47:12

9d ago47:12

47:12

South Africa this week joined a growing list of developing countries around the world to introduce tariffs on certain Chinese imports in a bid to protect local producers. Indonesia, Mexico, Chile, and Brazil, among others, also introduced similar duties on Chinese steel and other products. While low-cost Chinese goods are a boon for Global South co…

1
WEEK IN REVIEW: Chinese Debt and the Anti-Government Revolt in Kenya 53:41

16d ago53:41

53:41

Protestors in Kenya this week expressed fury against the government and the IMF but interestingly made no mention of China during an unprecedented uprising in Nairobi. It's notable because the Kenyan Treasury spends more money to service its Chinese loans than any other single creditor. For years, across two administrations, the Kenyan government h…

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] The Crisis in the South China Sea Enters a Dangerous New Phase 40:05

16d ago40:05

40:05

The violent confrontation between China and the Philippines on June 17th near the Second Thomas Shoal marked a sharp escalation in tensions between the two countries over their rival territorial claims in the South China Sea. After the melee that severely injured one Filipino sailor, the two countries engaged in a second battle, this time in the me…

1
How China's Changing Economy is Impacting Africa? 1:05:20

23d ago1:05:20

1:05:20

Back in the early 2000s, when Chinese engagement in Africa started to ramp up, China was enjoying double-digit growth and devoured vast quantities of African oil, minerals, and timber to feed its surging manufacturing sector. Fast-forward to the present, and China no longer relies on African resources as it once did. The Chinese economy has matured…

1
It's Time to Take the BRICS More Seriously 50:40

30d ago50:40

50:40

The BRICS group has existed since 2009 and has done little to distinguish itself in 15 years. They created a mid-sized development bank, but other than that, the bloc's accomplishments have been rather modest. That's now starting to change as the BRICS doubled in size to ten members, with around thirty other countries now on the waiting list. At th…

1
The Future of Chinese Development Finance in Africa 42:11

1M ago42:11

42:11

Chinese development finance in Africa today is a small fraction of what it was a decade ago when Beijing's policy banks provided billions of dollars in loans to countries across the continent. But while those heady days of easily accessible finance will likely never return, there are indications major Chinese lenders are once again gearing up to ex…

1
Jane Perlez On The Global South's Role In The U.S. - China Strategic Rivalry 55:04

1M ago55:04

55:04

With memories still fresh from the first Cold War, leaders in Africa, Asia, and across the Global South have repeatedly said they do not want any part of a second Great Power rivalry. But as tensions between the U.S. and China steadily deteriorate, the pressure on these smaller, non-aligned countries is going to surge.The geopolitical dynamics are …

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] Jane Perlez on the Global South's Role in the U.S.-China Strategic Rivalry 53:05

1M ago53:05

53:05

With memories still fresh from the first Cold War, leaders in Africa, Asia, and across the Global South have repeatedly said they do not want any part of a second Great Power rivalry. But as tensions between the U.S. and China steadily deteriorate, the pressure on these smaller, non-aligned countries is going to surge. The geopolitical dynamics are…

1
The Hidden World Of Chinese Manufacturing In Ethiopia 44:37

2M ago44:37

44:37

Ethiopia's long-held ambition is to one day emerge as a major global manufacturing hub, benefiting from a wave of Chinese offshoring. The East African country's strategic location, abundant labor supply, and welcoming government are all very enticing for cost-conscious Chinese manufacturers.And while Ethiopia has been more successful than many Afri…

1
The Hidden World of Chinese Manufacturing in Ethiopia 42:42

2M ago42:42

42:42

Ethiopia's long-held ambition is to one day emerge as a major global manufacturing hub, benefiting from a wave of Chinese offshoring. The East African country's strategic location, abundant labor supply, and welcoming government are all very enticing for cost-conscious Chinese manufacturers. And while Ethiopia has been more successful than many Afr…

1
What's Driving The Surge In Brazil's Business Ties With China 50:44

2M ago50:44

50:44

BYD announced that it opened its 100th dealership in Brazil, highlighting the South American country's growing importance to the Chinese electric vehicle giant. It's a similar story across the board in tech, agriculture, and natural resources, among other sectors.Trade and investment between China and Brazil is booming and is unlikely to slow anyti…

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] What's Driving the Surge in Brazil's Business Ties With China 48:45

2M ago48:45

48:45

BYD announced that it opened its 100th dealership in Brazil, highlighting the South American country's growing importance to the Chinese electric vehicle giant. It's a similar story across the board in tech, agriculture, and natural resources, among other sectors. Trade and investment between China and Brazil is booming and is unlikely to slow anyt…

1
Illegal Chinese Timber Trade Fuels Insurgency in Mozambique 49:12

2M ago49:12

49:12

Officially, Mozambique bans the export of raw timber in an effort to protect what's left of the country's rapidly shrinking forests. But whatever laws are in place are largely disregarded as more than 500,000 tons of timber leave the country each year — 90% of which goes to China, according to a new report by the Environmental Investigation Agency.…

1
WEEK IN REVIEW: China in the Sahel | ChatGPT's take on China-Africa 56:07

2M ago56:07

56:07

China somehow managed to get the oil flowing between Niger and Benin this week amid a bitter dispute between the two West African countries that had briefly shut down the pipeline. Eric, Cobus, and Geraud discuss how the Chinese seem to be navigating the Sahel's contentious politics with some finesse. Plus, ChatGPT launched a major new upgrade this…

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] Indonesia's Role in the South China Sea Crisis 36:20

2M ago36:20

36:20

Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto will take office later this year at a critical time when regional tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea are surging. And this won't be just a foreign policy challenge for the new president. Chinese ships have crossed into Indonesia's exclusive economic zone near the Nantuna Islands at …

1
China-Africa Relations in the Era of Great Power Competition 58:08

2M ago58:08

58:08

A prominent French TV journalist was visibly surprised when DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi bluntly told him that he prefers to work with Chinese and Russian partners rather than those from the West. The exchange was posted this week on X and reveals the increasingly stark gap between African and Western perceptions over the major geopolitical …

1
Insights From Hannah Ryder on This Year's China-Africa Summit 1:00:05

3M ago1:00:05

1:00:05

Chinese and African governments are beginning to negotiate the agenda for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit that will take place in Beijing later this fall. Development finance, infrastructure, and green technology are all expected to be prominent themes, but this year’s event will be considerably different than previous…

1
WEEK IN REVIEW: The Chinese Supermarket Scandal in Nigeria 47:18

3M ago47:18

47:18

Nigerian consumer protection authorities shut a Chinese supermarket in the capital, Abuja after a video went viral showing the store refusing entry to local residents. The scandal sparked outrage online and was among the top stories of the week on national TV channels. Eric, Cobus, and Geraud discuss why this particular instance of alleged discrimi…

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] Should China Use Its Influence With Iran to Help the U.S. and Israel? 38:30

3M ago38:30

38:30

Senior U.S. leaders have once again called on China to use its considerable economic leverage to persuade Iran to change its behavior in the escalating conflict with Israel. Various U.S. have made this same request on several occasions already, going back all the way to the day after Hamas launched its assault on southern Israel on October 7th. Eac…

1
U.S.-China Competition for Africa's Critical Resources 46:31

3M ago46:31

46:31

China maintains a massive lead over the U.S. and other G7 countries in both mining and refining capacity in Africa, a key vulnerability that policymakers in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere say they're determined to rectify. A new report from the United States Institute of Peace lays out a roadmap for how the U.S. can close that gap with China to ac…

1
The State of Chinese Tech in Africa With Benjamin Dada 49:32

3M ago49:32

49:32

For much of the past ten years, Chinese technology in Africa focused largely on devices and infrastructure. But today, the conversations also include issues related to governance, online services, and the emergence of artificial intelligence. Benjamin Dada, founder of the popular African tech news site BenDada.com, joins Eric to discuss the latest …

1
Labor Relations at Chinese Construction Sites in Africa 54:46

3M ago54:46

54:46

Few topics have shaped perceptions about China's engagement in Africa more than the presence of Chinese construction sites across the continent. Chinese contractors have built countless ports, roads, railways, and more, but how that work was done has been very controversial over the years. There've been widespread complaints about mismanagement, ab…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Cobus Van Staden Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
The China in Africa Podcast

The China-Global South Project

1
The China Africa Project

Eric Olander & Cobus van Staden

1
A New Vision for European Engagement in Africa (Beyond Confronting China) 53:11

1
China-Africa Relations as Seen From the United States 39:36

1
Who Gets to Tell the Africa-China Story? 58:29

1
The Impact of Chinese Overcapacity on Developing Countries 47:12

1
WEEK IN REVIEW: Chinese Debt and the Anti-Government Revolt in Kenya 53:41

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] The Crisis in the South China Sea Enters a Dangerous New Phase 40:05

1
How China's Changing Economy is Impacting Africa? 1:05:20

1
It's Time to Take the BRICS More Seriously 50:40

1
The Future of Chinese Development Finance in Africa 42:11

1
Jane Perlez On The Global South's Role In The U.S. - China Strategic Rivalry 55:04

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] Jane Perlez on the Global South's Role in the U.S.-China Strategic Rivalry 53:05

1
The Hidden World Of Chinese Manufacturing In Ethiopia 44:37

1
The Hidden World of Chinese Manufacturing in Ethiopia 42:42

1
What's Driving The Surge In Brazil's Business Ties With China 50:44

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] What's Driving the Surge in Brazil's Business Ties With China 48:45

1
Illegal Chinese Timber Trade Fuels Insurgency in Mozambique 49:12

1
WEEK IN REVIEW: China in the Sahel | ChatGPT's take on China-Africa 56:07

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] Indonesia's Role in the South China Sea Crisis 36:20

1
China-Africa Relations in the Era of Great Power Competition 58:08

1
Insights From Hannah Ryder on This Year's China-Africa Summit 1:00:05

1
WEEK IN REVIEW: The Chinese Supermarket Scandal in Nigeria 47:18

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] Should China Use Its Influence With Iran to Help the U.S. and Israel? 38:30

1
U.S.-China Competition for Africa's Critical Resources 46:31

1
The State of Chinese Tech in Africa With Benjamin Dada 49:32

1
Labor Relations at Chinese Construction Sites in Africa 54:46

Quick Reference Guide