Eritrea’s diplomacy in the shadow of China’s Africa strategy

Eritrea’s Mao-reading president used to seem like a relic. Now Issaias Afwerki is on a roll. Eritrea is emerging as the unlikely powerbroker in the Horn of Africa.

More prominent leaders are courting him. In May he was given a red-carpet reception in Beijing, with full military honours. In July he flew to Moscow for a tête-à-tête with Vladimir Putin. In February he was warmly welcomed to Kenya by President William Ruto, who persuaded him to rejoin a regional trade bloc which he had petulantly quit 15 years ago.

This long-copy feature by The Economist covers the rise ‘Africa’s North Korea’ in the shadow of China’s Africa strategy. A very good read!

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