GLI INVESTIMENTI CINESI PER LO SVILUPPO SOSTENIBILE DELL'AFRICA: IL CASO DELLA FERROVIA NAIROBI-MOMBASA IN KENYA.

In the last century, intense scrutiny has been made on the Chinese presence in the African continent and in particular in its apparent commitment to including the latter in the Maritime Silk Road mega-project. This has been realized through China's intention to develop as a global superpower and to foster the progress of African countries in economic and social terms. In this regard, it is worth asking, about the extent of beneficial outcomes that the involvement of China, as the main African creditor, is having on the continent. Can the Chinese investments be viewed as sustainable support for the entire African continent and how are its beneficial effects and potential negative implications affecting the growth of the borrowing countries? For answering these questions, a general overview of China's nature, economy, and ties with African nations would be provided. Consequently, a second scenario will present the specific case study of the infrastructural railway project from Nairobi to Mombasa. This last section will be able to show on one hand the major positive and negative effects of Chinese investments on the local economy and society, and on the other hand, interpret the overall conditions of all the other African countries partnering with China. General final observations and remarks are provided at the end of the paper.