«Back to Home
China has taken a different route to involvement in African aviation
The Conversation
01 Sep 2019, 22:33 GMT+10
China has been a latecomer to African aviation. Even though Ethiopian Airlines started flying to China in November 1973, there were few other air links between Africa and China for 30 years.
The involvement of former colonial powers such as the British, Dutch and French goes back to the 1920s; former Soviet bloc countries began to show interest during the height of the Cold War. And in the last 20 years, Persian Gulf petro-states and their airlines – Emirates, Qatar and Etihad – have become major offshore hubs for a huge range of commercial flights serving Africa.
In my recently published paper I track how China's involvement has been different.
Official data about the scale and pace of China's airport projects in Africa are hard to find. In the absence of primary sources, journalistic reporting on current affairs and public projects is the main source of information. These sources can be at variance. And keeping up with developments is evidently difficult.
Despite the absence of accurate, clear and consistent information, the picture that emerged during my research shows considerable Chinese activity directed at modernising, extending and building new airports in Africa. The grandest projects are in resource-rich countries.
China's approach
None of China's biggest three airlines (Air China, China Southern, China Eastern) are prominent in African skies.
It is on the ground that China has been flexing its aviation muscles in Africa. This is consistent with China's 50-or-so years of infrastructure funding and construction on the continent. Energy, water, road and rail infrastructure projects have been the major spheres of Chinese offshore investment in Africa.
Civil airports there have been a recent addition. China's experience of planning, funding, constructing and managing airports at home stands it in good stead.
Two 2017 reports noted between US$27 billion and US$38 billion currently being spent on or earmarked for spending on 77 construction and associated hardware projects at airports in Africa. China was named in relation to Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Zambia. The average price for all projects was US$440 million.
At a rough estimate, China accounted for between a quarter and a third of this total airport spending. Excluding unknown expenditure in Ghana, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo, it spent some US$5.7 billion on these airport projects: US$3.8 billion on a new airport outside Luanda (Angola), US$615 million in Maputo, US$360 million in Zambia, US$345 million at Addis Ababa, US$260 million in Mauritius, US$190 million in Sierra Leone, and US$136 million in Mauritania.
Funds from China's Exim Bank or other agencies are expected to help build a new US$3 billion airport outside Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, and a new US$1.4 billion airport outside Khartoum in Sudan.
The Chinese investment model involves loans and grants, but also, it would seem, part-exchange deals over oil and minerals. These arrangements have more of a resources-for-infrastructure or barter quality.
At the same time Turkish, French, Italian and British contractors have been bidding for airport improvement projects in Africa, and for terminal or runway new-build schemes. These, it would appear, are at a lesser scale, and have greater transparency.
What's next
China's approach may change in the future. That's if it can neutralise the pivot of Persian Gulf airports at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. And if it can out-manoeuvre their airlines in global long-haul markets.
It may be more likely that China's penetration of African civil aviation will occur via partnerships with African airlines, and taking equity shares.
Some of this has already happened. For example, the Hainan corporation in China has reportedly made forays into airlines in Ghana and South Africa, and into a Kenyan all-freight carrier.
Sales to Africa of Chinese-manufactured aircraft have also started. Attendant spare parts stocks are being pre-positioned. In addition, there are plans for Chinese-led aviation technical and managerial training schools in Africa. These will reduce risk of wasted physical infrastructure and of any associated reputational damage.
Some African countries are gearing airport capacity planning to a predicted 5% annual growth in continental passenger numbers by 2035. By that time Africa is expected to be home to eight of the world's 10 fastest-growing aviation markets. Most African countries don't have the capacity to prepare for this and will need overseas funds and engineering expertise.
But there are concerns. Any arguments against rampant airport investment in Africa could begin with familiar worries about cost overruns in mega-infrastructure projects, the long-term burden of loan repayments (or default loss of control to foreign owners), the unaffordability of unanticipated maintenance charges, and the inappropriateness of prestige and political vanity projects.
Concerns about corruption, due diligence, accountability, social and environmental disruption plague transport projects wherever they occur.
Another argument against airport mania in Africa – including one that may be levelled against the seductively shiny steel-and-glass 'aerotropolises' touted in Nigeria and South Africa – is that these opportunist projects are firmly nation- or city-led (indeed, even regime-led). As such, they don't necessarily fit into any long-term regional or pan-African programme of integrated infrastructure development.
At a time of chronic resource shortages and stress this is irresponsible. What can be accomplished technically is not always what should be done. There have always been white elephants and rogue elephants in Africa.
The economic and political geography of China's airport consulting, financing, construction, and management programme in Africa is only now beginning to surface. In future, better statistical information, and richer local information will make for better analysis.
Author: Gordon Pirie – Honorary Research Associate, University of Cape Town
More Shanghai News
Access More 
US Open: Serena Williams thrashes Wang Qiang to reach semi-finals
Shanghai News.Net
US Factories Shrink for 1st Time in 3 Years Amid Trade War
Shanghai News.Net
Rise of populism in SA could see rand 'blow up' ? investment expert
Shanghai News.Net
North Korea Issues New Lapel Badge Featuring Kim Jong Il
Shanghai News.Net
8 children killed in China primary school attack
Shanghai News.Net
Trump Warns China Against Delay in Reaching Trade Pact
Shanghai News.Net
WeChat bans viral face-swapping app – Zao – over privacy concerns
Shanghai News.Net
China slowdown weighing on Diamond Prices
Shanghai News.Net
Hundreds Call On Kazakh President To Scrap China Visit
Shanghai News.Net
Hong Kong Activist Agnes Chow Wins Appeal Overturning Election Ban
Shanghai News.Net
Protesters In Kazakhstan Demand President Scrap China Visit
Shanghai News.Net
Universities need to rein in academic air travel and greenhouse gases
Shanghai News.Net
Adam Devine, Rachel Bloom, Zazie Beetz to lend voices for 'Extinct'
Shanghai News.Net
Ukrainian trailblazer Svitolina reaches US Open semi-finals
Shanghai News.Net
China seen heading for sub-6% economic growth as tariffs soar
Shanghai News.Net
New US-Led Patrols in Persian Gulf Raise Stakes with Iran
Shanghai News.Net
Indo-Pacific logical step for India after Act East, says Jaishankar
Shanghai News.Net
Global energy needs expected to roughly double by 2030: Sri Lankan PM
Shanghai News.Net
China Rejects Trump's Fentanyl Charges As 'Groundless'
Shanghai News.Net
Malabar 2019 to start later this month
Shanghai News.Net
Current economic crisis is momentary, says Swadeshi Jagaran Manch
Shanghai News.Net
Sign up for Shanghai News
a daily newsletter full of things to discuss over drinks.and the great thing is that it's on the house!
All Shanghai News Headlines
Economies in Asia slipping as China and U.S. do battle
Lola Evans
Manufacturing, exports, employment in China decline in August
Lola Evans
China drone attack on crop-eating armyworm shows 98% kill rate
Shanghai News.Net
Controversial 'Russian spy bank' set to break into Europe
Shanghai News.Net
Equities flat in choppy session, Sun Pharma loses by 3.8 pc
Shanghai News.Net
US Open: Serena Williams thrashes Wang Qiang to reach semi-finals
Shanghai News.Net
Universities need to rein in academic air travel and greenhouse gases
Shanghai News.Net
US Factories Shrink for 1st Time in 3 Years Amid Trade War
Shanghai News.Net
Adam Devine, Rachel Bloom, Zazie Beetz to lend voices for 'Extinct'
Shanghai News.Net
Rise of populism in SA could see rand 'blow up' ? investment expert
Shanghai News.Net
Ukrainian trailblazer Svitolina reaches US Open semi-finals
Shanghai News.Net
North Korea Issues New Lapel Badge Featuring Kim Jong Il
Shanghai News.Net
China seen heading for sub-6% economic growth as tariffs soar
Shanghai News.Net
8 children killed in China primary school attack
Shanghai News.Net
New US-Led Patrols in Persian Gulf Raise Stakes with Iran
Shanghai News.Net
Trump Warns China Against Delay in Reaching Trade Pact
Shanghai News.Net
Indo-Pacific logical step for India after Act East, says Jaishankar
Shanghai News.Net
WeChat bans viral face-swapping app – Zao – over privacy concerns
Shanghai News.Net
Global energy needs expected to roughly double by 2030: Sri Lankan PM
Shanghai News.Net
China slowdown weighing on Diamond Prices
Shanghai News.Net
China Rejects Trump's Fentanyl Charges As 'Groundless'
Shanghai News.Net
Hundreds Call On Kazakh President To Scrap China Visit
Shanghai News.Net
Malabar 2019 to start later this month
Shanghai News.Net
Hong Kong Activist Agnes Chow Wins Appeal Overturning Election Ban
Shanghai News.Net
Current economic crisis is momentary, says Swadeshi Jagaran Manch
Shanghai News.Net
Protesters In Kazakhstan Demand President Scrap China Visit
Shanghai News.Net
Iran Asks To Move World Cup Soccer Match In Hong Kong Amid Protests
Shanghai News.Net
Huawei accuses US of harassing workers, attacking network
Shanghai News.Net
Hong Kong Leader Says She Would Quit 'If I Had a Choice'
Shanghai News.Net
Declining exports of cotton textiles – a matter of deep concern
Shanghai News.Net
China News
Manufacturing, exports, employment in China decline in August
Lola Evans
China drone attack on crop-eating armyworm shows 98% kill rate
Shanghai News.Net
Ruthless Serena grabs 100th US Open win as record title nears
Shanghai News.Net
Controversial 'Russian spy bank' set to break into Europe
Shanghai News.Net
Sleepy to Sleepless Indonesia's Future Capital in the Forest
Shanghai News.Net
US Plans for Fake Social Media Run Afoul of Facebook Rules
Shanghai News.Net
Access More
New Releases
Shanghai News.Net's News Release Publishing Service provides a medium for circulating your organization's news.
Facebook Feed
International News
Grand Bahama battered by Dorian, fatalities reported
Voa News
Pence choice of accommodation on visit to Ireland draws fire
Jay Jackson
Dozens missing after boat disaster in California
Jay Jackson
UN Secretary-General on 3-day visit to Democratic Republic of Congo
Jay Jackson
U.S. president chooses Trump golf club as situation room for hurricane
Jay Jackson
Gunman who killed six people and wounded 22 in West Texas named
Jay Jackson
Two more women jockeys die on Australian race tracks
Jay Jackson
'Patsy' for Robert Kennedy assassination survives stabbing
Jay Jackson
Hollywood onstage: why are so many musicals adapted from movies?
Shanghai News.Net
Save the world, one bottle of (South African) wine at a time
Shanghai News.Net
Access More
