{"id":45551,"date":"2021-12-14T15:55:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-14T15:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.climatechangenews.com\/?p=45551"},"modified":"2021-12-14T17:15:49","modified_gmt":"2021-12-14T17:15:49","slug":"eu-seeks-rival-chinas-infrastructure-offer-africans-sceptical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.climatechangenews.com\/2021\/12\/14\/eu-seeks-rival-chinas-infrastructure-offer-africans-sceptical\/","title":{"rendered":"As EU seeks to rival China’s infrastructure offer, Africans are sceptical"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the EU launched its global gateway initiative earlier this month, it was pitched as a greener and more transparent alternative to China’s belt and road.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brussels pledged to mobilise up to $340 billion by 2027<\/a> to support a green and digital transition around the world. It announced the initiative the day after a major China-Africa summit ended in Dakar, Senegal, highlighting the contrast in approach.<\/p>\n

Africa could certainly use the investment. The African Development Bank<\/a> estimates the continent\u2019s infrastructure needs at $130\u2013170 billion a year, with a financing gap of $68\u2013$108 billion. But African experts are sceptical of the EU offer.<\/p>\n

While China has roads, bridges and dams to show for its 20-year-engagement with Africa, they say, the EU brings red tape and a lecture.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho listens and understands the context in which African countries are operating is going to be the better development partner,\u201d Ovigwe Eguegu, a Nigerian policy adviser at consultancy Development Reimagined, tells Climate Home News.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe EU is the one that doesn\u2019t listen,\u201d he says. \u201cThe EU now realises that Africa is serious about wanting to build infrastructure. In a way, the EU coming up with the global gateway is acknowledging that China got development in Africa right.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The global gateway initiative includes \u20ac2.4 billion ($2.7bn) in grants for sub-Saharan Africa and \u20ac1.08bn ($1.2bn) for North Africa to support the roll out of renewable energy, energy efficiency and the greening of local value chains.<\/p>\n

Further proposals include developing a green hydrogen sector and the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative to integrate regional energy markets.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt opens up a lot of new potential,\u201d Cobus van Staden, a senior researcher on China-Africa relations at the South African Institute of International Affairs, tells Climate Home. But it raises more questions than it answers, he says.<\/p>\n