Nairobi, 15 May 2022 (TDI): The Nairobi Expressway is operational for use by the public. China-Kenya infrastructure cooperation under the model of PPP gave birth to the Nairobi Expressway. The expressway in Nairobi will contribute to urban traffic capacity in the city with the city’s development.
Nairobi Expressway: A Successful Story of China-Kenya Infrastructure Cooperation
Nairobi Expressway is a typical exercise of China-Kenya infrastructure cooperation through the PPP model. China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is responsible for the establishment of the project. The 73.5 billion shillings (about 648 million U.S. dollars) expressway has a length of 27 km. The expressway can cut travel time from the south to west of Nairobi to 15 minutes from two hours currently during peak time.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta spoke highly of this project as a key infrastructure project. The expressway can benefit the local traffic and reduce the cost of time and money in doing business. Besides, according to President Kenyatta, the project offers more than 4,000 jobs to Kenyan workers. Furthermore, the project used tonnes of construction materials sourced locally.
What is PPP Model in China-African Cooperation?
The PPP model refers to Public-Private-Partnerships. In order to maximize the integration of resources from various stakeholders, PPP is a popular model in the implementation of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The PPP model offers private sectors opportunities to invest and participate in international-level projects.
Therefore, PPP is a widely-used model in China-African cooperation, not only in the fields of infrastructure and manufacturing but also in other sectors. Also, the Chinese government is willing to encourage the China-Africa Development Fund and the China-Africa Industrial Capacity Cooperation Fund to support Chinese enterprises to invest in African industries and projects through PPP/tripartite/multi-party approaches.
Moreover, China’s PPP model in Africa is highly localized with the coordination between the Chinese and African governments. Both sides highly emphasize opportunities to improve the localized production of African brands. Simultaneously, Chinese companies are working with more and more African enterprises to improve the local industry through the PPP model.
