China’s growing interest in developing Africa’s infrastructure and economy goes a step further, as the 4th annual Africa Power and Infrastructure Forum (APIF) will be held in Beijing next week
The event, hosted by EnergyNet, will be held between 15 and 16 October at the Ritz Carlton, Beijing. The China Africa Development Fund and the China Electricity Council are event partners. Africa’s Standard Bank is the forum sponsor. The two-day meeting will focus on large-scale projects in Africa, and how to progress on the projects in a planned and resourceful manner.
The delegates that have confirmed their attendance for the event include Henry Rotich, cabinet secretary for the treasury of Kenya; Matadi Atadi Nenga Gamanda, minister of energy and water resources in DR Congo; Christopher Yaluma, minister of energy of Zambia; Henry Macauley, minister of energy of Sierra Leone; Obeth Kandjoze from Namibia; Aston Kajara, minister of finance in charge of privatisation in Uganda; Maria Kiwanuka, minister of energy and mines/ senior advisor to the President of Uganda and Silas Zimu, presidential special advisor on energy in South Africa.
The main projects that will be discussed are the LAPSSET Corridor; East African Standard Gauge Railway; Dry Port Development in Ghana; The Unbundling of a State Owned Utility- Liberia; gas investment projects in South Africa; The East Africa Roads Programme and the Grand Inga I and II Project in DR Congo.
China has always shown keenness to develop Africa in a significant manner, and capitalise its vast number of natural resources. In August, China’s Sinoma International Engineering signed a deal with African cement major Dangote for US$4.3bn, making it one of the largest deals signed between China and Africa. Meanwhile, East African nations such as Tanzania and Uganda are uncovering more reserves of oil, and need sound infrastructure such as ports, storage facilities and offshore/onshore extraction facilities to capitalise on the same. In 2013, China National Offshore Oil Corporation signed a US$2bn contract to develop Uganda’s Kingfisher oilfields.
However, Africa has had its share of troubles with infrastructure, electricity and financial lapses. Through the event, delegates from China and Africa will highlight the ways to overcome such hurdles and gauge the best practices to realise the aforementioned projects to fruition.
