Belt and Road Initiative: Alternative Development Path for Africa

180 Pages·2018·7.076 MB·English

by  Thokozani Simelane (Editor), Lavhelesani R. Managa (Editor)

Belt and Road Initiative
Alternative Development Path for Africa
Edited by Thokozani Simelane
and Lavhelesani Managa
Belt and Road Initiative
First Published in 2018 by the
Africa Institute of South Africa
Private Bag X41
Pretoria
South Africa, 0001
ISBN: 978-0-7983-0526-6
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Table of Contents
Foreword .................................................................................... i
Acknowledgements .................................................................... iii
About the Editors ........................................................................ iv
About the Chapter Contributors ..................................................... v
Abbreviations and Acronyms ........................................................ ix
CHAPTER 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Anil Sooklal, Thokozani Simelane and Jaimal Anand
CHAPTER 2
Unblocking Africa’s underdevelopment through the belt and
road initiative ............................................................................. 7
Ellinor Forje
CHAPTER 3
State of infrastructural development cooperation between
China and Africa ........................................................................ 20
Yuchen Zhi
CHAPTER 4
Attracting investment for infrastructure development in Africa .......... 32
Emmanuel Owusu-Sekyere
CHAPTER 5
Belt and Road Linked Transnational Infrastructure and Resources
in Eastern and Southern Africa ..................................................... 54
Nuša Tukić
CHAPTER 6
Africa-China strategic coalition: a remodelled financial model
for infrastructure development .................................................... 73
Adewale Aregbeshola
CHAPTER 7
Relocating China’s manufacturing capacity and industrialisation
to Africa ................................................................................... 89
Chaoqun Lian
CHAPTER 8
The belt and road (OBOR) initiative and China-Africa agricultural
cooperation ............................................................................. 101
Jiang Zhida
CHAPTER 9
Reconceptualising peace and security: distributional justice
within Sino-African co-operation and beyond ................................ 118
Stacey Links
CHAPTER 10
People to people interactions: Africans in China – status analysis ...... 151
Cui Xiaotao
CONCLUSION
Merging two developmental visons: Africa’ s agenda 2063
and China’s belt and road initiative .............................................. 159
Anil Sooklal, Thokozani Simelane and Jaimal Anand
FOREWORD
The Belt and Road Conference, held at the Durban University of Technology
in November 2015, was a result of a partnership between the Human Sci-
ence Research Council (HSRC), the Department of International Relations
and Cooperation (DIRCO), the Chinese Institute for International Studies
(CIIS), and the Confucius Institute at the Durban University of Technol-
ogy. After the successful hosting of the first such conference in Africa, this
much-needed book captures the outcomes of the conference and cements
the way forward.
Among issues addressed at the conference was a need to establish syner-
gies between Africa’s developmental needs and the Belt and Road Initiative.
The major focus of the Belt and Road initiative is on connectivity that goes
beyond borders. It includes sharing of philosophy, culture, people-to-people
interaction, and spiritual values.
The significance of Belt and Road Initiative has become clear through
the Asia Development Bank’s report, which indicates that Asia will require
US$8 trillion in infrastructure financing over the next decade. When this is
linked to current rates of development between Asia and Africa, it is envis-
aged that Africa will require an additional investment of US$93 billion per
year until 2025. It is therefore clear that Belt and Road Initiative is a step
in the right direction to unlocking the economic potential of both Africa and
Asia.
In a 2015 publication entitled The Silk Roads: A New History of the
World, Peter Frankopan, outlines the history, and imagines the future, of the
Silk Roads. The analysis sheds light on the stage of history we are currently
in, as we strive to achieve greater interdependence within a multipolar
global paradigm. The book zooms in on the reality that the Silk Road is
not an archaeological concept, instead it represents the natural trade and
diplomatic channels between Asia and Africa.
In his 2013 speech in Astana, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that
for centuries people from the East and the West were able to cooperate
despite differences in race, belief and cultural background. According to
Frankopan’s work this was in essence the nature of the Silk Road, prompt-
ing both prosperity and peace.
The concept of Belt and Road Initiative was formally announced by
President Xi during his visits to central southeast Asia in September and
October of 2013, when he announced the development of the overland ‘Silk
Road Economic Belt’, and the ‘21st Century Maritime Silk Road’. These con-
cepts have since gained more and more prominence, receiving the attention
i
of experts from all over the world. Various agreements connected to the
Belt and Road project have been signed in Europe, central Asia, and Africa.
D
R The plan, based on the historic Silk Road, to connect Asia and Europe, via
O
W Africa, marks a new era of global connectivity that is poised to change the
E
R world.
O
F It is important to note that both President Xi and Premier Li Keqiang
have repeatedly emphasised that the footprint of Belt and Road Initiative
is not restricted to the ancient routes and will adapt to twenty-first century
trade and commercial routes. This opens a discussion on how Africa can
fully participate in the Belt and Road Initiative. The conference attempted to
explore this question, based on various existing initiatives in Africa that are
realigned within the Belt and Road framework. The significance of Africa’s
relevance to Belt and Road Initiative became clear when Premier Li visited
the headquarters of the African Union in 2014. Then chairperson of the Af-
rican Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, stated that ‘African
people cherish a dream that one day the capitals of Africa will be linked by
high-speed railways’. She added that, as a good friend of Africa, China is
willing to make this dream a reality.
It is envisaged that accelerating the implementation of the Belt and
Road initiative will:
• promote the economic prosperity of the countries along the Belt and
Road, as well as regional economic cooperation;
• strengthen exchanges and mutual learning between different civi-
lisations; and
• promote world peace and development.
What is of great significance is that the Belt and Road Initiative is a system-
atic project, which will be jointly built through consultation with partners to
meet the interests of all, and effort should be made to integrate the develop-
ment strategies of the countries along the Belt and Road with this much
needed contribution to infrastructure development, improved connectiv-
ity and further cooperation between countries. This must also reflect the
people-to-people, cultural and spiritual dimensions of the initiative.
Beyond the hosting of the conference, the Belt and Road Initiative will
continue to bring the above institutions together to research the ideal of ‘a
better life for all’, which is reflected in the African continental development
agenda, and enshrined in the principles of Africa-Asia solidarity.
Ambassador Jerry Matjila
Director-General of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic
of South Africa
ii
Current Ambassador/South African Permanent Representative, to the United
Nations in New York
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The book derives from a conference “One Belt One Road and Prosper-
ous Africa” that was jointly organised by South Africa’s Department
of International Relations and Cooperation, Human Sciences Research
Council, Durban University of Technology, Confucius Institute at the
Durban University of Technology in collaboration with the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Chinese Institute for
International Studies (CIIS) and South Africa’s Department of Science
and Technology. The financial support which these institutions provided,
together with participants and chapter contributors are greatly acknowledged.
iii
ABOUT THE EDITORS
■ Dr. Thokozani Simelane Serving as a leader for Science and Technology
at the Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA) within the Human Sciences
Research Council. Previously served as an interim Director of Research at
AISA. He has worked as a Departmental Manager for Environmental Man-
agement at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and
South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). At SABS was responsible for ISO
14001, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 90001 system certification. Started a career
in scientific research at the South African National Parks. He has published
in a number of international scientific journals. He has co-edited a list of
books which include 1) Energy Transition in Africa, 2) Future Directions of
Municipal Solid Waste Management in Africa, 3) Africa in a Global Chang-
ing Environment Perspectives of Climate Change Adaptation and Irrigation
Strategies in Africa, 4) Natural and Human Induced Hazards and Disasters
in Africa, 5) New African Thinkers-Agenda 2063: Drivers of Change. 6) Sys-
tem Dynamic Models for Africa’s Development planning. He has served as a
member of the Standing Advisory Committee on Intellectual Property Right
of South Africa (2002-2017). Serves as a member of Research Ethics Com-
mittee of Human Sciences Research Council. He also serves as a member of
the Department of Public Enterprise Africa Steering Committee. Serves as a
reviewer of National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF).
■ Mr. Lavhelesani R. Managa He is working as a researcher in the Sci-
ence and Technology Research Programme – Africa Intitute of South Africa
(AISA), within Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). Prior to working
for HSRC, He worked for University of Venda Plant Production Department,
Penn State University Roots Biology Lab and Agricultural Research Council
(ARC). His research interest are in Medicinal Plant Science, Plant Metabo-
lomics, Plant Breeding, Food Security and Safety, Climate-Smart Agriculture,
Water Quality and Plant Productivity. He is currently studying towards Doc-
tor of Philosophy (PhD. Horticultural Science) from University of Pretoria.
iv
ABOUT THE CHAPTER CONTRIBUTORS A
B
O
U
T
T
H
■ Prof. Anil Sooklal holds BA (Oriental History and Religious Studies), E

C
BA Honours (Cum Laude) (Oriental History and Religious Studies), MA (Re- O
N
ligious Studies), D Phil (Religious Studies), PhD (Oriental History), all from T
R
University of Durban-Westville (now called University of KwaZulu-Natal- IB
U
UKZN). In addition to his academic qualifications, he also holds a Diploma T
O
in Fine Art, a Certificate in Human Rights from the United Nations Centre R
S
for Human Rights in Geneva, and a Certificate in International Trade and
Investment Promotion obtained from the International Trade Institute of
Singapore under the Singapore Co-operation Programme. He is currently the
Deputy Director-General responsible for Asia and the Middle East, Depart-
ment of International Relations and Cooperation. In addition to his duties
as Deputy Director-General; he is also South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa, G20
Sherpa and IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa) Sherpa and the IORA (Indian
Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation). He also served as Chief
Director for North Africa, Acting Chief Director for United Nations Political
and Global Security Affairs and Head of the Department’s Parliamentary
Office in Cape Town, and was coordinator of the substance team of the UN
World Conference Against Racism, 2001. He was appointed Ambassador to
the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg in April 2006 and completed
his term of office in January 2012. During his tenure as Ambassador in Brus-
sels he served as Chair of SADC Committee of Ambassadors (2008 – 2009),
Chair of the Tripartite) SADC, EAC, COMESA) Committee of Ambassadors
(2008 – 2009), Member of the Bureau of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors
(2007), and Deputy Chair of the Sustainable Development Committee, ACP
(2011). Ambassador Sooklal is a recipient of many awards which includes:
Adjunct Fellowship at RIS New Delhi, Fellowship in Human Rights (1993);
United Nations Centre for Human Rights, Geneva; Adjunct Fellowship with
Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries (RIS) (May
2018)
■ Mr. Jaimal Anand holds B.A.(Hons) (Public Policy) from the University
of Natal in Durban now (UKZN), focus on International Political Economy,
Philosophy and Economic History. He also obtained Diplomatic Training in
July 2006, and was posted to Bern Switzerland in December 2006. He was
appointed Assistant Director at Foreign Affairs, responsible for Asia and
Middle East in February 2005. His current Key areas of focus and interest
v