The South African Institute of International Affairs published in June 2021 a paper titled "China's BRI and the AfCFTA: Potential Overlaps, Complementarities and Challenges" by Yike Fu and Ovigwe Eguegu.
The paper offers perspectives on current developments in China's Belt and Road Initiative and the African Continental Free Trade Area. It also highlights both the complementarities and challenges arising from linking the two initiatives. While significant complementarities exist and there is interest from the Chinese side, linking the BRI and AfCFTA poses some risks to African economies.
