Link to Article: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/britain-steps-up-kenya-investments-with-railway-hub-eyes-1-bln-deals-2022-01-18/
Britain is partnering with Kenya to build a rail hub in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. Britain has had increased relations with Nairobi recently following Brexit and their post-Brexit trade deal in 2020. British engineering firm Atkin Global is designing an eight platform rail station and public space. This deal was first agreed two years ago between Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The first phase will cost 1.35 billion Kenyan shillings and the project will take many years to implement. Britain’s CDC Group, the UK’s development finance institution will invest one billion dollars over the next five years. In which Kenya will benefit from in various sectors including climate financing and other sectors.
This article is important because it seems that both countries will benefit greatly from this deal. Enhanced infrastructure in Kenya will be beneficial for Britain and other countries for efficient trade, which will boost the country’s economies. In addition Kenya will benefit from the 1 billion dollars from Britain for various sectors including climate financing. This is extremely necessary for Kenya as it is an area where climate change has been increasingly impacting their lives with more frequent extreme weather events, which takes a toll on their economy. Finally, Britain helping with Kenya’s infrastructure is important because Kenya is an area dominated by the Chinese when it comes to initiation and funds for infrastructure. Britain helping Kenya with infrastructure could help in balancing China’s growing power in Africa.
In class we talked about the rise of China’s power and influence, and how we might see a shift from the current Unipolar system with the United States on top to sharing the global power role with China. China’s recent infrastructure efforts in Africa to make trade easier and surpass the U.S. ‘s containment efforts and to spread their influence in Africa has become concerning for the U.S and other western states. Britain’s efforts to aid Kenya in infrastructure could balance China’s influence in the country, and play a vital step in preventing Africa from becoming dominated with Chinese influence.