The Africa-China Centre for Policy & Advisory, in partnership with Metro TV’s Metro Business Week Show, hosted a dialogue on China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Africa’s Infrastructure Development Ambitions.
The Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory is a Sino-African research and policy think tank and advisory firm headquartered in Accra, Ghana. The Centre is dedicated to providing unbiased policy and market research as well as distinct views on Africa-China relations.
The BRI is particularly crucial for developing countries, including many in Africa, where the demand for infrastructure development is substantial.
IMAGE: Paul Frimpong, Executive Director of ACCPA, speaking at the BRI Dialogue on Metro TV
As of August 2023, 155 countries have signed up for the BRI, comprising more than half of the world’s GDP and nearly 75% of its population. Despite debates about its viability and relevance, the BRI is actively contributing to economic growth and job creation, with over 3,000 projects completed and more than 420,000 jobs generated as of October 2023.
The BRI resonates with Africa’s own vision of developing infrastructure across the continent, as captured in Agenda 2063. The BRI’s impact on Africa’s infrastructure development ambitions could be substantial.
The discussion featured expert panelists such as Paul Frimpong, ACCPA’s Executive Director and Economist, as well as Mikatekiso Kubayi, a senior researcher at the Institute of Global Dialogue at the University of South Africa.
According to Paul Frimpong, ACCPA’s Executive Director, “BRI is presenting a unique opportunity for Africa to build connectivity, which is essential to realizing the full potential of the African Continent Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).”
Source: ACCPA, www.africachinacentre.org
Written by: Mercy Tedeku, Research Associate, ACCPA