A bill currently under consideration in New York State could reshape sovereign debt renegotiations around the world by making private creditors accept the same losses as the U.S. government would as a sovereign creditor instead of holding out for a full payback.
The bill comes as countries like Zambia and Sri Lanka face their loan renegotiations being dragged out for years as U.S.-based private lenders stonewall to obtain better deals. 52% of the ...
Category: Infrastructure
‘Major’ Chinese Aid on Its Way to Ease South Africa’s Energy Crisis, Says Minister
The Chinese government has offered South Africa equipment like solar panels and generators that can be installed at public institutions to prevent power disruptions, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said on Friday. Ramokgopa said the only string attached was that the state ...
There May Actually be An Opening for the U.S. to Spur Development of Angola’s Lobito Corridor
When the United States government announced last month that it was in the midst of conducting due diligence for a $250 million financing package to develop the Lobito Atlantic Railway Corridor that connects the copper/cobalt belts in the DRC and Zambia with Angola's Port of Lobito, it raised ...
Kenya’s First Chinese-Funded, Built Geothermal Energy Plant Paves Way for More Similar Projects
Chinese funding and technology could help accelerate Kenya’s geothermal electricity generation helping the country shift entirely to renewable energy. The first Chinese-funded privately-owned power-producing company in Kenya, Sosian Energy, will start feeding electricity generated from geothermal steam into the grid ...
The Kenyan Government Apparently is Unaware China Doesn’t Finance Railways in Africa Anymore
The Kenyan government is going to make one more attempt to try and persuade China's policy banks to lend them money to extend the Standard Gauge Railway from its current terminus in the Rift Valley all the way to the Ugandan border via Lake Victoria. ...
Key Lessons From Indonesia’s China-Backed Mining & Infrastructure Ventures
Indonesia is a pioneer among developing countries for its efforts in moving up the EV battery metal value chain. Whereas most other countries like the DR Congo and Chile export raw commodities that are processed elsewhere, Indonesia now requires all of ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Proposed New York Law Could Reshape Debt Negotiations Around the World
Why Many Indonesians Think Jokowi Fumbled Chinese High-Speed Rail Diplomacy, Even As It Nears Completion
The China-backed high-speed train that runs from Jakarta to Bandung, two main cities in Indonesia, is nearing completion, and is slated to begin serving the public in August this year. But after about a decade of planning and construction, the excitement just isn’t there. Not anymore.
South Africa’s Crumbling Railways Are Becoming a Threat to Global Supply Chains
Traffic on South Africa's main railway line that connects the country's urban hubs of Johannesburg and Pretoria with Africa's largest port in Durban operated at just 25% capacity last week -- hobbled by rampant theft, vandalism and damage. The 688-kilometer rail ...
U.S. Conducting Due Diligence for Development of the Lobito Corridor in Southern Africa Where Chinese Interests Are Already Very Active
The United States government claims it has mobilized $30 billion so far through various public and private channels to build railways, data centers and other infrastructure initiatives in developing countries. The White House released an update on Friday of its ...
UBS Analyst Provides Upbeat Forecast on the Belt and Road, Challenging Skeptics Who’ve Already Written the BRI’s Obituary
If your media diet is predominantly from Western, Japanese or Indian sources, then it's quite likely you've seen one of the countless obituaries this year for China's Belt and Road Initiative. The narrative in articles like Foreign Policy's "China’s Belt ...
China’s Ambassador to Angola Promises President Continued Support for Infrastructure Development
Angolan President João Lourenço met with China's ambassador to Luanda, Gao Tong, on Monday for an update on the progress of several high-profile infrastructure projects that China is developing. Gao reassured the president that the new Luanda international airport, the Caculo-Cabaça hydroelectric facility, and ...