By Dr Austin Maho
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, is one of the most ambitious and extensive infrastructure and economic development projects in modern history.
Since its debut in 2013, China’s huge Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has spread its tentacles across the globe like an octopus and noticeably changed the landscape of infrastructure especially in Africa.
The initiative seeks to foster economic cooperation and connectivity among countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and beyond. Launched in 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the BRI has garnered significant attention and debate due to its vast scope and implications for global geopolitics, trade, and development.
As the BRI marks its tenth anniversary perhaps no better time than now to do an appraisal of this global initiative and its contributions to global development.
The historical context of the Belt and Road Initiative is deeply rooted in China’s historical engagement with the world. The concept is inspired by the ancient Silk Road trade routes that connected China to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, facilitating the exchange of goods, culture, and ideas. The BRI is seen as a modern version of these ancient routes, aiming to reinvigorate economic and cultural exchanges on a global scale.
The BRI primarily aim is to enhance infrastructure development, trade connectivity, and economic cooperation among participating countries. It consists of two main components:
Silk Road Economic Belt: This land-based component aims to create a network of transportation and infrastructure projects, connecting China to Europe via Central Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.
21st Century Maritime Silk Road: The maritime component focuses on improving connectivity through ports, shipping lanes, and maritime infrastructure, linking China to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Key Pillars:
1. Infrastructure Development: One of the central elements of the BRI is the construction of roads, railways, bridges, ports, and other critical infrastructure in participating countries. This infrastructure development is designed to improve connectivity and facilitate trade.
2. Trade Facilitation: The BRI seeks to remove trade barriers, reduce transportation costs, and streamline customs procedures to promote the flow of goods between countries.
3. Economic Cooperation: Through the BRI, China aims to promote economic cooperation and investment in various sectors, including energy, manufacturing, technology, and finance.
4. People-to-People Connectivity: Cultural exchange and collaboration in education, tourism, and healthcare are vital components of the initiative, fostering mutual understanding among participating nations.
Progress and Achievements
Since its inception, the Belt and Road Initiative has made substantial progress. Several landmark projects have been undertaken, which have improved connectivity and infrastructure across the regions involved. Key achievements include:
1. Infrastructure Development: Notable projects include the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya, and the Piraeus Port in Greece, among others.
2. Trade Expansion: Trade volumes along BRI routes have increased significantly, opening up new markets for participating countries and enhancing global trade.
3. Economic Growth: The BRI has contributed to economic growth in many of the participating nations, attracting foreign investment and stimulating domestic industries.
4. Enhanced Connectivity: The development of new transport routes and digital infrastructure has improved connectivity between participating countries.
Since Nigeria joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the 2018 Beijing summit, Nigeria has benefited inleaps and bounds. There have been a harvest of infrastructural development across the country.
As a global infrastructure development programme the BRI in ten years of existence has become an important platform for achieving the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Notably also, the initiative and its core concepts have been incorporated into the G-20, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. These are major milestones for a decade old establishment.
In Africa major projects that have been financed through the BRI include Kenya’s Nairobi-Mombasa standard gauge rail line, Ethiopia’s Addis– Djibouti standard rail line and Tazara railway linking the port city of Dar el Salam in Tanzania to the town of Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia’s central province.
In Nigeria ompleted projects and ongoing ones include the Abuja–Kaduna standard gauge rail line, Abuja rail mass transit, the four airport projects which include the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos amd the Kano and PortHarcourt international Airports. Others are the Lagos–Ibadan standard gauge rail line, Lekki deep sea port., the Abuja, Lafia, Makurdi dualisation project , Abuja township road project, among others.
Unarguably, infrastructure development is a major component of the BRI which has been making great impact on the lives of the people of Africa.
For instance, the Kaduna to Abuja rail service that was inaugurated in 2016 has created major transportation channel from the capital city to the industrial and metropolitan city of Kaduna.
The Abuja–Kaduna rail line has also improved investment environment, promoted business trade and safer passenger traffic and cargo transportation between the two cities.
Similarly, dozens of Chinese enterprises of different scale are almost in every state of Nigeria, thriving and contributing to the economy of those states and Nigeria.
Trade volume between Nigeria and China has been on the upward swing rising to 15.3billion dollars in 2018 –10.8 per cent higher than that of 2017.
Similarly, trades between China and African countries continue to grow significantly, testifying to the deepening economic relations between the two sides.
Irredpective of criticism there is no doubt thst the BRI has not only promoted integration and connectivity it has also shifted the balance of global power and influence, with China taking on a more prominent role in global affairs.
Furthermore, the people-to-people component of the BRI has enhanced cultural understanding and cooperation among diverse nations.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a monumental undertaking that seeks to revive the historical Silk Road and stimulate economic cooperation among countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and beyond. While it has achieved considerable success in terms of infrastructure development and economic growth, it has also encountered criticism and challenges.
The BRI’s impact on the global stage is complex, with economic integration, geopolitical shifts, and cultural exchange playing significant roles. As the initiative continues to evolve, it remains a topic of global interest and debate, shaping the future of international relations and trade.
