Two Belts, One Road? - The role of Africa in Chinas's Belt & Road initiative

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Abstract

In the light of the EU-Africa Summit 2017 and of the G20 Summit 2017 with Africa being one of the focus areas, China’s engagement in Africa seems more relevant than ever. China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative (OBOR) or silk road initiative is often referred to as a Eurasian infrastructure network initiative, but it is in fact much more than that. The maritime silk road is supposed to go past the coast of East Africa, where several ports are being built and will be built. Furthermore, ports are not only planned and under construction on the maritime silk road’s direct way along Africa’s east coast through Suez Canal, but also on coasts of Central and West Africa. Some of those ports are planned to be connected to Africa’s hinterland by roads and railways - in some cases all the way from the east coast to the west coast. OBOR is thus not only about Eurasia, but also to a significant extent about Africa. There even is a second belt – on the African continent (see below).