European and Chinese investment for development in the Horn of Africa, Comparative Thesis on Chinese and European Union Investment Approaches in the Horn of Africa
Author
Da Col, Bianca
Term
4. term
Publication year
2023
Submitted on
2023-05-11
Pages
50
Abstract
Over the past decade, the Horn of Africa has become a focal point for development-oriented investment by major powers, notably the European Union and China. This thesis explores why the EU and China pursue different investment approaches in the region, using Kenya as a case study. The comparative analysis is guided by the Beijing Consensus to interpret China’s approach and Liberalism Theory to frame the EU’s, and situates European development practice within a historical arc from the Bretton Woods institutions through the Washington Consensus to PRSP/HIPC and the global goals. The findings indicate that Chinese investment is characterized by non‑conditional financing and a strong focus on large infrastructure, while environmental sustainability remains an area for improvement. By contrast, the EU promotes alternatives centered on green energy and human rights protections but often struggles with effectiveness in implementation. By juxtaposing these models, the study illuminates the distinct norms, institutional logics, and trade‑offs shaping development investment in Kenya and more broadly in the Horn of Africa.
I det seneste årti er Afrikas Horn blevet et centralt mål for international udviklingsinvestering, især fra EU og Kina. Denne afhandling undersøger, hvorfor EU og Kina anvender forskellige investeringsmetoder i regionen, med Kenya som casestudie. Analysen er rammesat af Beijing-konsensusen for at forstå den kinesiske tilgang og liberalismeteori for at belyse EU’s tilgang, og den placerer EU’s udviklingspraksis i en historisk kontekst fra Bretton Woods-institutionerne over Washington-konsensusen til PRSP/HIPC og de globale mål. Den komparative gennemgang peger på, at kinesiske investeringer er præget af fravær af politiske betingelser og en stærk satsning på infrastruktur, om end den miljømæssige bæredygtighed kan styrkes. EU tilbyder alternativer, der prioriterer grøn energi og beskyttelse af menneskerettigheder, men lider ofte under lavere effektivitet i gennemførelsen. Ved at sammenholde disse tilgange belyser afhandlingen de forskellige normer, institutionelle rammer og praktiske afvejninger, som præger udviklingsorienterede investeringer i Kenya og bredere i Afrikas Horn.
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