ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the PRC’s new Silk Road grand strategy in the North African countries. Significant challenges and risks facing BRI implementation consist of geopolitical rivalry, economic and financial risks, and religious and cultural complexities. Chinese enterprises seeking to expand overseas may encounter threats in many BRI countries where social and political instability undermines the business environment. China’s ambitious plans for the BRI grand strategy can create new or increased challenges and risks for the North African countries participating in these large infrastructure projects. Successful implementation of the BRI grand strategy depends on the stability and security of the WANA region. Overall, the primary challenge for China lies in its continued ability to expand and exploit mutually beneficial economic opportunities in the Maghreb region, where recurring political and social crises tend to engender volatility and instability.
