'With BRI's Help, Africa Will Also Rise'

There cannot be a technological revolution if African countries are left behind. Blade Nzimande tells S&T Daily how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is helping secure the sovereignty of developing countries, enabling them to make independent choices for development.

How do you see the role of Belt and Road science cooperation?

The BRI is a very important initiative because it aims to foster a different path of development. It's about collaboration and working together among developing countries, along with China itself. What can you learn from the Chinese experience? You can't take the Chinese experience and apply it exactly anywhere else in the world, but there are many lessons we can learn.

This is a different model because it's aimed at forging mutually beneficial relations, unlike what we've had since World War II. Many countries in Africa and the Global South that were colonized have struggled to escape the trap of colonialism in terms of development.

Now, China is saying, through the BRI, we need a different model: mutual respect, mutual benefit, and sharing lessons as equal partners to develop. For me, that's one of the most fundamental lessons and positives of the BRI.

Since 2023, China has extended the initiative to focus specifically on science, technology, and innovation (STI). This focus on STI is crucial because one of the lasting injustices of colonialism is unequal development. Many African and Global South countries remain underdeveloped to serve the interests of developed nations. To create a more equal world, we must change this, and STI is central to that change.

We can't have a new technological revolution while leaving African countries behind. The BRI provides an important platform for developing countries to share in new and latest technologies. Take AI for example, South Africa and China have agreed to establish a joint AI research center in South Africa, which will be hugely beneficial to both countries. We hope this will lead to new innovations, ideas and mutual development.

Do you think the Belt and Road STI Cooperation and Action Plan will deliver tangible benefits to the people in Belt and Road partner countries?

I have no doubt the BRI will bring positive results. It may not be 100 percent perfect, but it's a step forward. For too long, the African continent has only received knowledge from other parts of the world.

Now, we want to produce knowledge not just for Africa, but for the world. For example, South Africa has inventions like the "creepy crawly" pool cleaner, now used globally. We need more such innovations. Africa has a huge advantage: over 60 percent of our population is under 30. If we empower African youth with facilities, knowledge, and STI infrastructure, imagine the potential innovations that could emerge.

Look at China's auto sector — it's a miracle. Since 1991, I've visited China over 20 times. Back then, Beijing had millions of bicycles. Now, even European carmakers admit that the center of auto innovation is China. Why? Because China invested in the sci-tech sector. If the BRI can help African countries with research cooperation and infrastructure, Africa will also rise.

What are your expectations for future Belt and Road STI cooperation?

The BRI covers many areas — agriculture, economy, and more. The future of the world lies in new technologies. Countries that fail to engage in innovation will face major challenges. The less developed nations must build capacity to catch up — producing new ideas, patents, and industries. This is a chance to meaningfully tackle poverty in developing nations.

Blade Nzimande is the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of South Africa.

Source: Science and Technology Daily