Saturday, July 8, 2023

China's Belt and Road Initiative in Africa Changing Direction

 The Monk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy published on 4 July 2023 a commentary titled "From a 'Project of the Century' to 'Small Is Beautiful': The Changing Face of the BRI in Africa" by Abdou Rahim Lema, University of Montreal.

The author argues that funding for China's Belt and Road Initiative projects in Africa has fallen significantly since 2016.  This does not mean the BRI is dead but rather is shifting to smaller and less costly projects.  China is also focusing on digital and green infrastructure rather than large-scale transportation projects.