Since the dawn of human civilizations there has always been need for the interconnectedness and cooperation for the shared future. Thousands of years ago, the ancient Silk Road offered this initiative that enabled interconnectedness and communication between Asian and European civilizations. In the wake of twenty first century, the world and is people required such an initiative for shared future and its increasing importance began to be feltall-around. One of the initiatives that actually embodies and represent the idea of shared future for the mankind is Belt and Road Initiative. Belt and Road Initiative seeks to revive the ancient Silk Road to interconnect the mankind through network of trade, transportation and infrastructural projects that aims to build communities where all the nations can prosper in cooperative manners.
The year 2023 marks 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative with the theme Navigating towards a Community of a Shared Future for Mankind,” reflecting its aim to foster global cooperative and inclusive development. This initiative offers humanity much needed improvement in transportation links to enhance the communication, cultural exchanges and transformative potential for the better future for generations to come. The efforts of the Belt and Road Initiative embodies creation of new connections and corridors across the Central Asia, Black Caspian and Caucasus, Mediterranean-bordering states and the entire European Union particularly the region of Central-Eastern-Baltic.
Belt and Road Initiative launched by the China’s president Xi Jinping envisioned a world of shared global governance and development that offered wide range of opportunities for its participants and to the world as whole. The commitment of the Chinese leadership can clearly be identified by the fact this mega project involves investment around multi-billion dollars for global infrastructure and development that is spread across the seventy states across three continents Asia, Africa and Europe.
It is referred as truly monumental and grandiose due to its transformative potential for the development of the world. Its five goals infrastructure connectivity, policy coordination, trade, financial integration and people to people exchange explains its transformative potential. Since the ten years of its launch its transformative potential and goals are realizing its game changer role in the form of promotion of economic growth, regional cooperation, transportation and infrastructure development in the countries that are part of it.
Its significance and transformative role can be analyzed by the statistics and facts that substantiates its credibility. For instance, BRI has facilitated trade and investment in the participant countries have reached $20 billion in 2020 along the massive investment in the development of means of communication, transportations and infrastructure. The established Exclusive Economic Zones and Corridors extend across the three continents. These corridors and zones not only stimulate economic growth but also connect different regions and countries along the Silk Road route. These developments are expected to enhance regional cooperation and integration and increase the competitiveness of the participant states. These corridors include China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor and China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor. Among the other corridors of the China-Malaysia Industrial Park, Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM) and the New Eurasian Land Bridge. Similarly, the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) include Bohai Sea, East China Sea, Yellow Sea, South China Sea.
Besides, the individual participant countries’ economic growth and development also accounts for the vision of the shared future. In South Asia, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has offered Pakistan with 6 projects of transportation and infrastructure, 16 energy projects among which 2 are under construction and many under consideration. Overall, 27 projects of worth 19 billion dollars have been completed and about 35-billion-dollar other projects are part of BRI in China-Pakistan-Economic Corridor. Under BRI the 24 projects of development of transportation have created a web of interconnectivity across the country. BRI has also helped Pakistan to overcome its energy decencies by adding 6910 MW of electricity to national grind. Furthermore, offers Pakistan with secure future as the World Bank report indicates that Pakistan through BRI will be able to create 2 million jobs and its GDP growth is expected to increase to 6% by 2025.
In Central Asia Kazakhstan is another participant state that has experienced development and growth under BRI. In the terms of economic growth, Kazakhstan’s economy has received investment of more than 35 billion dollars. This investment mainly focuses on the areas of energy and transportation sector a much-needed requirements for Kazakhstan. As Kazakhstan is natural transit point for the interconnectivity, BRI has interconnectivity projects such as China-Kazakhstan Railway and Khorgos Gateway among the other developmental projects.
Similarly, in the Southeast Asia Indonesia is another state that has experienced growth and development under Belt and Road Initiative. According to the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), under the BRI Indonesian economy has received investment of around 19.8 billion dollars. Its development projects include Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway project, creation 40,000 jobs and greater regional integration.
Lastly, among many other participants of BRI Ethiopia in Africa is another case study that reflects the development under the framework of shared future. Ethiopia has participated in the Belt and Road Imitative under the projects such as Hawassa industrial park and Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway. Such projects have enabled Ethiopia to overcome its trade barriers and foster cross-border trade between Ethiopia and other regional states. The improved infrastructure, transportation and communication has helped Ethiopia to make its conditions favorable for foreign investment and business activities.
These individual case studies and statistical data clearly indicates that Belt and Road Initiative is marching towards the establishment of community of shared future for mankind by promoting global inclusiveness, interconnectedness and cooperation in the world. Therefore, the anniversary of the China’s Belt and Road Initiative is celebration of the efforts for greater integration, interconnectivity and cooperation among the mankind. The revival of the historical trades and interconnection among the communities of the world, Belt and Road initiative is transforming the economic, social and political landscape towards the efforts that aims to build more connected and prosper communities who will be equipped to over challenges such as climate change, poverty and underdevelopment. Overall, the first decade of BRI marks a successful beginning towards a shared future, where infrastructure development translates into economic and social prosperity for all. The next decade promises to bear the fruits of this great project, in line with its objectives.
Qaiser Nawab is a highly esteemed international expert on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Afghanistan, South and Central Asia. With a passion for global peace and climate activism, Qaiser is also recognized as a prominent Pakistani youth leader, United Nations SDGs advocate, and freelance journalist. Qaiser can be reached at qaisernawab098@gmail.com