ADHERE: How Belt and Road Initiative is reshaping Africa's development

In 2013, China launched the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to foster inclusive development and shared prosperity with partner countries through enhanced international cooperation.

Over the past decade-plus, the African continent has become a primary beneficiary of this initiative, and Kenya, located at the heart of the East African hub, has leveraged its geopolitical and strategic importance to become a bridgehead for BRI cooperation. From ambitious railway networks to specific livelihood projects, the BRI is profoundly reshaping Africa's development narrative.

To date, nearly all African nations have signed cooperation documents with China on jointly implementing the initiative. Behind this choice lies Africa's profound pursuit of autonomy in its development models.

For a long time, Africa's development was constrained by international financial institutions dominated by Western powers.

The loans provided often came with stringent political conditions and structural adjustment programmes, leading to industrial hollowing out and a massive infrastructure deficit across the continent.

The BRI offers a completely new choice: it emphasises equal consultation, mutual benefit, non-interference in internal affairs and directly targets Africa's primary pain point—lagging infrastructure.

This approach of prioritising connectivity precisely aligns with the aspirations of the African Union's Agenda 2063. It aims to break down physical bottlenecks constraining development through hard connectivity, linking Africa's fragmented markets and unlocking its economic potential.

If the BRI in Africa is a magnificent scroll painting, then Kenya is the most vibrant focal point. The Kenyan government has deeply aligned BRI projects with its long-term national development plan, Vision 2030, resulting in fruitful cooperation.

The Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway is the flagship project of China-Kenya infrastructure development cooperation. Since its opening in 2017, modern railway has achieved more than 3,000 days of safe operation—a remarkable feat.

It has not only slashed passenger travel time from more than 10 hours to 4.5 hours and reduced logistics costs by 40 per cent, but more importantly, it has activated the entire economic corridor. By 2025, it had carried nearly 16 million passengers and more than 40 million tonnes of freight.

This railway has directly spurred industrialisation along its route, significantly enhanced the throughput capacity of the Port of Mombasa and solidified Kenya's position as a logistics hub in East Africa. It is estimated to contribute more than two per cent to Kenya's GDP.

The SGR is a shining example of what strategic and intentional infrastructure development does to the economy. The line’s extension to the border with Uganda, planned from March will further amplify the gains by fostering regional integration.

Beyond infrastructure, cooperation is extending to deeper levels. In the energy sector, China and Kenya collaborate on solar and wind power projects, supporting Kenya's goal of energy self-sufficiency and green transition.

In the digital economy, Chinese companies like Huawei are assisting Kenya in building 5G networks and fibre optic infrastructure. In education, the Chinese government provides scholarships and has established Luban Workshops, introducing advanced technologies like cloud computing to Kenya’s youth.

The BRI has generated profound and extensive impacts across the African continent. It has promoted African integration by providing material foundation for the flourishing of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Secondly, BRI has changed Africa's development narrative by granting the continent greater voice and capacity for autonomous development in the globalisation process. This model, rooted in South-South cooperation, challenges the traditional donor-recipient relationship and establishes an equal development partnership.

Finally, BRI has brought tangible benefits to ordinary African people. From the rural bridges in Sierra Leone that ended villagers' perilous journeys by canoe, to Kenyan avocados and tea gaining broader access to the Chinese market through zero-tariff policies, these small yet smart livelihood projects and trade facilitation measures ensure that development gains truly reach the common people.

Looking at Kenya's experience, it is evident that when China's infrastructure capabilities meet Africa's developmental ambitions, the resulting synergy is rewriting the continent's destiny.