[September 2025] A new policy brief from Development Reimagined says that, despite more than 150 of China’s GDI projects already underway in Africa, African governments and institutions still have limited direct access to GDI funding. Unless clearer, more structured channels are opened, the decision will define how effective the GDI is for Africa, and how China positions itself in the multilateral system.
Launched in 2021, China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI) has become a headline feature of international development cooperation. At FOCAC 2021 in Dakar, China pledged 1,000 GDI projects for Africa, spanning healthcare, agriculture, digital economy, trade promotion, and climate adaptation — directly aligned with Africa’s Agenda 2063 priorities.
The policy brief examines:
- The real scope of Africa’s engagement in GDI so far, including the number, sectors, and financing mechanisms of projects.
- How GDI aligns with China’s revised foreign aid measures and the Global Development Project Pool.
- The institutional and financing structures shaping Africa’s participation, including the role of CIDCA, the Global Development Promotion Center (GDPC), and multilateral partnerships.
- The risks of ad hoc or retrospective project labelling, which leave African governments with less visibility and limited leverage in shaping outcomes.
Key findings:
- While 150–200 GDI projects are underway in Africa, this represents only a fraction of the FOCAC 1,000-commitment — meaning acceleration is urgently needed to match African development needs.
- Africa’s access to GDI funding is constrained by fragmented application processes, with structured channels more accessible to multilateral institutions than to African governments or civil society.
- Without stronger African-led proposals and monitoring, there is a risk that GDI projects will be shaped primarily by external priorities rather than Agenda 2063 and the SDGs.
Recommendations:
For African governments,
- Proactively align national and regional development strategies with GDI priorities to influence project pipelines.
- Establish clear proposal pipelines and monitoring mechanisms to increase leverage in negotiations with Chinese counterparts.
- Coordinate regionally to ensure GDI projects support African continental integration.
For China and partners,
- Open clearer, accessible channels for African governments and institutions to apply for and shape GDI projects.
- Increase transparency on project approval criteria, financing flows, and monitoring systems.
- Expand partnerships with African regional institutions to support long-term impact.
Read the full policy brief:
