logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2022
15m 1s

What does Chinese forgiven debts mean fo...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Correction: We re-uploaded this episode to clarify the $1.5 trillion mentioned in the conversation was China's global loans, not just to Africa.

At a recent summit attended by African officials, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced that China would be forgiving 23 of its loans to 17 African countries.

But it’s worth pointing out that these were debts that were at zero interest.

According to data from the Global Development Policy Center, China has lent Africa as much as $160 billion.

Much of this money has gone into building infrastructure, such as airports, roads and sea ports.

But analysts have raised the alarm, saying there’s a looming debt crisis if the continent continues to borrow this heavily from China.

So amid the ongoing economic crisis sweeping through the world, what does this relationship with China and a large debt profile mean for Africa?

Alan Kasujja has been speaking with Zawadi Mudibo, the BBC Africa Business Editor to make sense of this relationship.

Up next
Aug 22
Focus on Africa: Exploring Africa-Japan trade ties
Japan has pledged to work more closely with African countries at global summit on economic development. How can Africa benefit from stronger ties with Japan?The former prime minister of Chad is facing a 20-year prison term after being convicted of hate speech, xenophobia and havi ... Show More
32m 3s
Aug 20
Focus on Africa: Increased concerns over missing Ethiopia journalists
Two prominent journalists in Ethiopia, Abdulsemed Mohammed and Yonas Amare, have been missing for more than a week after being abducted by what reports say, were men wearing masks and military uniforms. There has been no news about their whereabouts but their disappearances have ... Show More
27m 44s
Aug 15
Focus on Africa: Nigeria negotiates $346m arms deal with US
The US government has approved a $346m arms deal with Nigeria which would include munitions, precision bombs and precision rockets. What is behind the change in a decade-long US policy about selling certain kinds of weapons to Nigeria?The mining of gold has been a key driver of S ... Show More
33m 14s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2018
Is the China-Africa Love Affair Over?
The burgeoning relationship between China and Africa has been one of the great economic stories of the 21st century. Billions of dollars of investment and loans from China have created radical change in many African countries. But not everyone is happy, with some even claiming th ... Show More
22m 59s
Nov 2021
What is China's role in Africa's development?
At the annual Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to continue funding development across Africa despite criticism that Beijing is saddling the continent with unsustainable debt. So, what is China's role in Africa's development?  Join host S ... Show More
23m 46s
Feb 2022
Debt relief: Who should foot the bill?
There’s a credit crunch facing dozens of the world's poorest countries: billions of dollars are now owed and some countries simply won't manage the repayments. So who should foot the bill? We speak with Sri Lankan businessman, Indika Merenchige, who imports vehicles in to Sri Lan ... Show More
17m 28s
Nov 2020
How China Is Using Africa to Spy on the U.S.
China is very active in building infrastructure for developing nations. For the last two decades, they have invested billions of dollars in Africa in the form of roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure. This week, on "Heritage Explains," expert Josh Meservey explains ho ... Show More
21m 26s
Sep 2022
A focus on the growing issue of global debt
With the IMF saying earlier this month that about 25% of emerging and 60% of low-income countries are having trouble paying their debts, we take a closer look at the scale of national debts around the world. We examine China’s role as creditor for emerging countries and speak to ... Show More
26m 43s
Aug 2023
How China is exporting authoritarianism to Africa
A coup in Niger and its violent aftermath has Western powers including the US scrambling to keep an anti-terrorism presence in the region, and the turmoil is also affecting China's relationship with the West African nation. As one of the largest investors in Niger, China has put ... Show More
11m 30s
Feb 2023
Has the air gone out of US China trade relations?
The US has burst what it's called a high-altitude intelligence gathering balloon from China, while the deadline over a dispute between the two countries over the trading of microchips has expired. We speak a former member of the Clinton Administration about what this means for tr ... Show More
26m 27s