More African countries on the route: the positive and negative impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract

The grand vision was launched in 2013 originally as the ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative. OBOR involves China underwriting billions of dollars of infrastructure investment linking countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. At the centre of the plan are two physical routes: the Silk Road Economic Belt, stretching from Asia to Europe; and the twenty-first century Maritime Silk Road that begins in China and passes along the Indian Ocean littoral to East Africa and then Europe. The nature of this economic initiative seeks to create a community of shared prosperity, in which nations can share mutual benefits and coexist peacefully along the trade routes. The paper examines China–Africa relations, centring on the possibility of expanding the OBOR initiative to cover more African nations. Also, it examines the investment environment of Africa and its significant for more African slot. Africa should provide enabling business environment to grasp the OBOR’s opportunities.