When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...
Tag: Nairobi Expressway
Related Posts
Kenya Caught Uncomfortably Between the U.S. and China
The Kenyan government is under mounting pressure from the United States over its close ties with China. Influential lawmakers in Washington are furious over comments made by President William Ruto during a visit to Beijing earlier this year, where he said ...
China Could Fund Kenyan Rail Through Public-Private Partnership: Kenyan President
Kenyan President William Ruto renewed his calls for China to fund the third stretch of the country’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). Speaking at a roundtable event in Nairobi during the weekend, Ruto said the project is currently being discussed in Beijing and could move forward as a public-private partnership. ...
Kenya’s New Transport Secretary Criticizes Previous Government’s Deals with China
This week’s confirmation hearing for Kenya’s new Transport Secretary included some revealing details about prominent Chinese projects like the recently inaugurated Nairobi Expressway. Kipchumba Murkomen reacted to widespread complaints about the tolls charged to use the road, a key part of its public-private partnership funding agreement with China Road and ...
China, Kenya Cut the Ribbon on Hugely Important Infrastructure Financing Experiment
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, together with Ambassador Zhou Pingjian, officially commissioned the $650 million Nairobi Expressway on Sunday. The project is gearing up to be the most important infrastructure financing test underway in Africa today. The 27-kilometer expressway was built and ...
Kenyan Election Campaign Targets Chinese Loans
Chinese loans are looming large as Kenya gears up for its presidential election. Aden Duale, an MP for the opposition leader William Ruto’s Kwanza Coalition, singled out loans as a cause of corruption at an election rally during the weekend. Duale said: "We know ...
Drivers Who Claim They’re Broke Force Chinese Contractor to Re-Think Nairobi Expressway Toll Plan
It's been a rocky start for the new Chinese-built Nairobi Expressway that opened to the public two weeks ago. Complaints that the tolls are too high, accidents, and now massive traffic jams have all marred what the government had hoped would be a more upbeat reception for the 27-kilometer roadway.
Kenya’s New Nairobi Expressway is Popular. Its Tolls? Not So Much
It's been a week since Kenya's Chinese-built Nairobi Expressway opened to the public. The road itself is very popular, but comments on Twitter make clear that users aren't in love with the cost of accessing the road. The road is a public-private ...
So Far, The New Chinese-Built Nairobi Expressway Isn’t Doing Much to Relieve Traffic Congestion
This is what critics of the new Nairobi Expressway feared would happen: that a select few wealthy motorists would be able to afford the tolls while everyone else is relegated to the side roads that are jammed far beyond capacity.
Speed is the One of the Key Hallmarks of Chinese Infrastructure Diplomacy in Africa
Chinese ambassador to the DR Congo, Zhu Jing, touted the rapid pace of construction of the new Kinsuka power station that's being built by Shanghai Power in the capital Kinshasa. Just 10 months after construction began, said Zhu on Twitter, the new station is more than 50% finished. ...
Motorists Respond to Nairobi Expressway Grand Opening
Kenyan social media influencers were among the lucky few that were invited to drive along the Nairobi Expressway during this weekend's public trial. Not surprisingly, the reactions were overwhelmingly positive on both YouTube and Twitter, especially since they had the roads to themselves.
Nairobi Expressway Signals Shift in Belt and Road Financing
Kenya’s new Nairobi Expressway is finally open to traffic. Transport Minister James Macharia commissioned the new Chinese-built intra-city highway on Saturday, ahead of its upcoming official launch. The 27-kilometer road cost $668 million. How it recoups those costs will ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: China will Serve as Co-Chair of Zambia’s New Creditor Committee
China, not South Africa or France, will serve as co-chair of Zambia's new creditor committee, said Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane. “It does make sense for our biggest creditor to play a leading part, to take a leading role in the proceedings,” Musokotwane told Bloomberg late last week. "They are ...