Adept negotiations needed by Africa at FOCAC

The research paper examines how China's 'one road-two belts' strategy, the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and increased UN peacekeeping commitments impact Africa. It highlights a shift toward regional development nodes on Africa's east coast and the Horn of Africa, while cautioning that Africa's strategic importance to Beijing is limited compared to China's immediate region and its interests in Asia and Europe.

• The 'one road-two belts' initiative, including the Maritime Silk Road, aims to integrate China with Eurasia and the Indian Ocean through economic co-operation, free flow of investment and trade, interconnecting infrastructure, and the free flow of people. To support this, China announced a US$40 billion Silk Road Fund in 2014 and a US$62 billion capital injection into policy banks in April 2015.
• China has established the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with an initial US$50bn, increasing to US$100bn in Chinese capital, primarily to fund transportation, power generation, and port facilities in the Asia-Pacific region. South Africa is one of 20 non-regional members.
• Beijing is increasing its security and peacekeeping commitments, including a pledge for 8,000 more troops for UN peacekeeping and a US$1bn fund for UN peace and development operations. Specifically for Africa, China is providing $100 million to support the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis (ACIRC).
• Chinese investment in Africa is increasingly focused on the east coast and the Horn of Africa, with Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia acting as development nodes. Key projects include the rehabilitation of the East African railway from Mombasa to Nairobi and Uganda, port expansions in Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, and an oil pipeline and port between Lamu in Kenya and South Sudan.
• Despite the scale of these initiatives, Africa's strategic position in China's global calculus is limited compared to China's immediate region, Asia, and Europe. The author suggests that FOCAC may be overshadowed by the 'One Road-Two Belts' vision and that African countries must use adept negotiations to leverage China's shift toward outward investment.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2015). Adept negotiations needed by Africa at FOCAC. https://saiia.org.za/research/adept-negotiations-needed-by-africa-at-focac/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Adept negotiations needed by Africa at FOCAC. 2015. https://saiia.org.za/research/adept-negotiations-needed-by-africa-at-focac/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Adept negotiations needed by Africa at FOCAC |date=3 December 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/adept-negotiations-needed-by-africa-at-focac/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2015adept, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Adept negotiations needed by Africa at FOCAC}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = dec, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/adept-negotiations-needed-by-africa-at-focac/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }