Afwerki: Chinese Debt Trap A Fallacy

Africa is sagging under the weight of debt. For a long time, Western publications have pinned the blame on China, claiming it issues debts it knows won’t be repaid. In exchange, they claim Beijing takes action like confiscating infrastructure, citing Sri Lanka’s port and Uganda’s airport as an example. Yet, there is no evidence.

China's defense of its loans to Africa often centers on the loans going into tangible projects that will benefit Africans. For example, the Asian nation has financed the construction of roads, railways, ports, power plants and other infrastructure projects in Africa. These include Kenya's Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, a new town in Angola, a bridge in Mozambique and Egypt's new capital. These projects have helped to improve transportation, communication, and energy access, which has in turn boosted economic growth and development in the continent.

In this clip from an CCTV interview that took place in May, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki argues that ‘debt-trap’ claims are an attempt to drive a wedge between Africa and China. According to him, the only people pushing that narrative are those who want Africa to remain marginalized and underdeveloped.

Let us know in the comments what you think of the Eritrean president's remarks.