NAIROBI, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese have played a key role in improving intra-Africa connectivity, a Kenyan expert said on Tuesday.
Aly Khan Satchu, CEO of Rich Management, told Xinhua in Nairobi that before Chinese investments in Africa's infrastructure, the continent constituted 55 countries that were not connected to each other, making intra-Africa trade very expensive.
"The Chinese have unlocked Africa's infrastructure and have played a key role in narrowing of the infrastructure gap," said Satchu.
Satchu said that in some instances, connecting between Anglophone and francophone Africa requires transiting through Europe, resulting in high transport costs in intra-Africa trade.
He added that Chinese roads and railway projects are dotted all across Africa. "You don't have to look far to see the Chinese contribution to connecting Africa to itself," he added.
Satchu noted that the immediate benefits of the infrastructure projects are visible, including reducing time and cost in moving within a country and between African states.
