China's Outsized Role in West Africa's Illegal Resource Trade

Every year, illegal mining, fishing, and logging drain billions of dollars from West Africa's economies as the problem persists largely unchecked, with Chinese actors playing an outsized role. Fueled by chronic corruption among local regulators across the region and seemingly insatiable demand for these resources in China, curtailing these illegal activities often feels impossible. But there's still hope. Earlier this year, a group of 21 scholars and analysts, mostly from West Africa, came together to develop new solutions and policy recommendations to reform the mining, timber, and fishing trades, empowering local communities while reducing local corruption. Their findings were released earlier this fall in a series of three reports co-published by the Keogh School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame and the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C. Two of the project organizations, Notre Dame Professor Joshua Eisenman, and Caroline Costello, assistant director of the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, join Eric & Géraud to discuss the reports and how China can play a constructive role in helping to end illegal resource extraction in West Africa. 📌 Topics covered include: China's environmental footprint in West AfricaWhy illegal extraction persists despite strong lawsThe politics behind "China-free" resource corridorsLessons from China's ivory ban and whether rosewood could be nextWhat African governments — not just China — must do differently Download the reports: Chinese mining in West Africa: Responding to the environmental and social impacts Chinese fishing in West Africa: Responding to the environmental and social impacts Chinese demand for timber and wildlife in West Africa: Responding to the environmental and social impacts Show Notes: The Financial Times: The American company seeking to counter China in Africa by David Pilling and Leslie HookForeign Policy: China's Appetite for Rosewood Is Causing Chaos in Africa by Joshua Eisenman and Caroline CostelloEnvironmental Investigation Agency: New Report Finds That Home Depot Sold Illegally Sourced Tropical Wood for Years Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque | @christiangeraud Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChineSpanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas Join us Patreon! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth