The African National Congress, South Africa’s ruling party, received a large donation from a mining company used by a Russian oligarch to evade sanctions. Critics say this gift is a bribe in exchange for the ANC’s support for the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Iranian government attempted to surveille dissidents and members of the diaspora living in Australia in order to threaten relatives or protesters back in Iran. Iran’s goal was to prevent criticism of the regime from Iranians living abroad.

An episode of American TV show The Simpsons was blocked in Hong Kong because of references to the human rights violations and forced labor camps in Xinjiang. American companies have had a tendency to comply with Chinese government demands to retain access to the Chinese market.

A new Chinese-built highway was billed as a benefit for citizens in Nairobi. However, an exploitative toll agreement benefitted the Chinese operators and made the expressway inaccessible for Kenyans.

Saudi Arabia paid millions of dollars to become a sponsor of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Organizations have called this a ploy to distract from Saudi women’s lack of political and economic rights in the kingdom, acting to whitewash their reputation on the world stage.

In an effort to diversify its investments and counter Iran, Saudi Arabia developed new relationships across Africa. For the Saudis, Emiratis, and Iranians, African economies present an opportunity to develop political influence outside of the Middle East, while reaping Africa’s natural resources.

Kremlin-backed Wagner Group mercenaries have worked closely with the Central African Republic’s pro-Russia president. The Wagner Group is working to exploit mineral and economic resources in the country and ensure that the CAR remains in Russia’s favor.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine showcased a myriad of projections of sharp power, from Iran selling new drone technology to Chinese economic support for Russian oil. This combined threat emphasizes the need for democracies to push back against this exploitation of interconnected global systems.

The United Kingdom is home to 30 Confucius Institutes that operate under the umbrella of prestigious universities – more than any other country. These academic organizations are part of the CCP’s propaganda system, integrated into universities, to shape perceptions of China.

Chinese students studying in Manchester, UK reported threatening comments made by the Chinese consul general in response to their protests against China’s Zero Covid policies. The Chinese government is taking steps to intimidate international students and influence their behavior.

China has exported its internet surveillance and censorship laws to the Middle East, encouraging local authoritarians to adopt similar laws. In Egypt, the Sisi regime has been particularly strong in trying to court Chinese technology investment and replicate strong state control of the internet.

Iran coordinated with the Qatari government to crack down on fans hoping to use the World Cup as a platform to spread awareness of the protest movement in the wake of Mahsa Amini’s death. Critics of the Iranian regime were specifically targeted throughout the World Cup.

Iran is expanding its influence in Muslim regions of Russia, mainly through economic agreements. Iran aims to circumvent Western sanctions and gain added favorability of Muslim citizens in Russia.

Russia has targeted Africa with disinformation campaigns meant to exploit common grievances in African audiences. These tactics, meant to delegitimatize Ukraine and its allies, do not seem to have the desired effect, as African Twitter users do not commonly communicate in line with these narratives.

Following the November 2021 Honiara riots and the March 2022 leaking of the China–Solomon Islands security agreement, the CCP used propaganda and disinformation to push false narratives in an effort to shape the Solomon Islands public’s perception of security issues and foreign partners.