ABSTRACT
Rail transport – especially the establishment of regional rail networks and trans-African lines – is critical in realising Africa’s integration and economic development aspirations. Since the early 2000s, numerous countries and regional and continental organisations have been planning and implementing projects to improve Africa’s rail network. Recognising the importance of railways in achieving Africa’s structural transformation, the continent’s railways are being revived to play their part in accelerating regional integration and economic growth; so is the hope of development planners at least. The African rail sector is attracting unmatched levels of investment since its sparse and basic network was laid by European colonial powers. Several foreign actors – most notably China – have demonstrated a keen interest in developing Africa’s railways. Chinese construction and rail companies have undertaken several railway projects across the continent, demonstrating that they – like their Western and Japanese counterparts – can develop rail infrastructure in overseas markets, even in regions that are considered to have a risky business environment. However, the poor performance of Chinese-funded and -built railways, such as the Kenyan standard gauge railway (SGR) and Ethiopia-Djibouti electric SGR, raises questions around the cost, viability, and practicality of these projects and has led some observers to opine that Chinese railway developments in Africa are white elephants in the making. This chapter situates Chinese railway projects within the institutional and programmatic landscapes of railway planning and development on the continent and problematises their implementation.
