Appetite for African minerals may boost infrastructure

Significance Mineral exports from the Central African Copperbelt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia are rising and existing export routes via South Africa do not have the capacity to handle higher volumes. Impacts China’s recent vow to upgrade a Zambia-Tanzania rail line shows how minerals competition may boost wider regional transport infrastructure. Efforts by the United States to displace China as the primary financer of infrastructure in Africa would be unrealistic. DRC, Zambia and other mineral exporters are in an improving position to bargain for concessional finance for infrastructure and other needs.