China Manages Risk in Its Belt and Road Initiative

 AIDDATA published on 6 November 2023 a commentary titled "Belt and Road Bounces Back, as Beijing Seeks to Future-proof Its Flagship Global Infrastructure Initiative" by Alex Wooley.

This is a commentary on AIDDATA's massive report on China's Belt and Road Initiative.  The report discusses the measures Beijing is taking to manage repayment risk; environmental, social, and governance risk; and reputational risk in its overseas project portfolio.  

Chinese Investments, Transparency and Debt Sustainability in Africa

 AFRODAD recently commissioned and published a major briefing paper titled "Chinese Investments, Transparency and Debt Sustainability in Africa" by Lauren A. Johnston.  

It looks at foreign direct investment, development finance, and the impact of COVID-19 in Angola, the DRC, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.  It also addresses the positive and negative impacts of Chinese loans on debt sustainability.  

China Moves to Equity Investment in Foreign Coal Power Projects

Panda Paw Dragon Claw recently posted an analysis titled "How China's Power Companies Invest Overseas" by Wang Yan and Li Danqing, both climate campaigners with extensive experience in Chinese overseas energy investment.

The authors look at China's construction of foreign coal power projects from 2009 to 2018. Until 2012, all of the projects were based on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) with no equity investment. In 2012, these projects witnessed the first equity investment and by 2018 equity investment had surpassed the EPC model. Most of the coal power plants were built in South Asia and Seutheast Asia. Ghana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique and Madagascar accounted for far fewer projects. Equity investment involves more risk for China. The building of coal power plants also raises serious concerns about air pollution and climate change.

Africa Investment Index 2018

Quantum Global, a Swiss-based private company focused on investment management in Africa, has just published its "Africa Investment Index 2018."

Its ranking of African countries takes into account growth factors such as GDP, liquidity, economic risks, business environment, demographic factors, and the Facebook penetration rate. Morocco emerges as the most attractive investment destination in Africa followed by Egypt, Algeria, Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, South Africa, Ethiopia, Zambia, Kenya, and Senegal.

China's Nationals and Assets Face Risk in Angola and Venezuela

The German Marshall Fund of the United States published a report in March 2016 titled "China's Risk Map in the South Atlantic" by Jonas Parello-Plesner. 

The report evaluates China's growing problem of protecting its nationals and assets in the South Atlantic region.  It looks particularly at the situation in Angola and Venezuela.