Construction workers building sections of the
Trans Nigeria Gas Pipeline project, 5 May 2021 [ICRC]
Economy
Chinese firms contributed 30% of new energy capacity in sub-Saharan Africa (56% renewable, 2016), where over 40% live without electricity
China upgraded continent’s wind (0.11 to 6.1 GW) and solar (0.74 to 5.5 GW) capacities (2009-18); US sanctions against Xinjiang – producer of half of world’s polysilicon for solar panels – could impact development
Nigeria seeks to complete gas pipeline (US $2.8 billion) as international lending to Africa declines since 2014 (US $100-39 billion)
Negotiating with Chinese lenders for US $1.8 billion, Nigeria’s pipeline highlights Africa’s infrastructure investment deficit (US $100 billion/year); China’s lending (US $3.3 billion, 2020) grew 15% year-on-year, though lower than 2017 high (US $11 billion)
DR Congo is world’s top producer of cobalt (70% of total) and China the largest importer (95,000 tons annually)
While cobalt sells for US $52,500 per ton, small-scale mining by 200,000 Congolese (40,000 children) accounts for 15-30% of mining; Chinese companies join Fair Cobalt Alliance, pledging to address industry’s poor working conditions
On 20 July 1974, Niger, a landlocked country on the edge of the Sahara desert, established diplomatic relations with China