BRICs and Their Growing Importance in Africa's Infrastructure Development

Any time a discussion centers around the BRICs, particularly China, in Africa it can swing positively or negatively. However, the truth is that Africa is being seen as an emerging market to the emerging BRICs, so they have interests not only in extracting minerals or making money on projects but also developing sustainable businesses that will serve the growing African economies. One area you can see the BRIC strategic involvement is in infrastructure. While their contribution to infrastructure development in Africa seems small to some, it is growing and as trade flows shift to include more South to South interactions we may see a very different picture in the next decade. Simon Freemantle, an economist with Standard Bank, shares with us insights they have been tracking about the BRICs involvement in Africa's infrastructure development. One key insight is that each BRIC has chosen a different strategy aligned with their strengths and objectives. For example, China is focusing on developing five key economic zones in Africa based on their experience with economic zones in China. You don't want to miss this conversation.