The Conversation published on 30 March 2026 a commentary titled "China Is Helping Build Africa's Cities, but Its Approach Sidelines Local Urban Planners and Residents" by Ding Fei, Cornell University.
Chinese-financed infrastructure projects are transforming skylines and daily life across Africa. While China delivers an impressive volume of infrastructure, it risks reinforcing Africa's national government dominance in decision-making on urban infrastructure development. African local governments and residents are excluded from the project planning and negotiating process.
