Sarenolia - Global Construction Policies

UGANDA: GALT INCIDENT In 1905, a commissioner named Harry George Galt is appointed to Uganda, a British protectorate. He makes the locals carry him three kilometres to the front of a Catholic church in Ibanda, Uganda.  When the locals begin to talk about his atrocities, a local man named Rutaraka throws a spear at Galt, who is sitting in the government house compound, killing him. The colonial government investigated the cause of Galt's death. They thought it was politically motivated and sentenced the two native chiefs to death, but it was later overturned on appeal by the British East African Court. Rutaraka, who had killed the British Galt, then committed suicide by hanging himself, fearing what would happen next. Galt's body was taken for burial, but the colonial government punished the natives by piling stones to cover Galt's blood. 5 metres long and 3 metres high, forming a pyramid-like feature, this pile of stones, which is still standing today and surrounded by a wire fence, stands as an abomination. After his murder, a street in the Ugandan city of Mbarara was named after him. 📍 This is one of the very rare photographs and even today there is a significant segment of people who look at foreigners who want to do business in their country with scepticism due to these and similar incidents.

ONE AIRPORT PROJECT EVERY 72 KM. RADIUS The Congolese government has an airport target for every 72 km. radius of residential areas throughout the country in order to facilitate public transport. Currently, there is an airport every 177 km. on average by road. Within its vast territory there are 252 airports recognised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), but only 38 of these host aircraft and 19 of these are actually operational. The public investment programme for the period 2025-2028, currently under parliamentary review, will allocate funds for civil airport infrastructure. China is set to receive the largest share of these funds. It is a suitor regardless of whether the airports to be rehabilitated or rebuilt are small or large. The DRC administration will not only improve the airports but also revitalise the Congolese Airlines company. Therefore, it is useful to see this policy of the DRC on a consistent basis. In order to reinforce consistency, it is useful to pay attention to the funds to be allocated from the budget. 

IVORY COAST: ASPHALTING DIRT ROADS Côte d'Ivoire continues to invest heavily in road infrastructure to support economic development and boost trade. It has announced that 1,400 km of roads will be paved by the end of 2025, bringing the total of its asphalt network to 9,500 km compared to 8,100 km currently. 🔄 Since 2011, great efforts have been made to modernise the road network. Of the 6,500 km of roads paved before 2011, 4,000 km have deteriorated and 2,000 km have been rehabilitated. ▶️ Almost half of the 4,000 deteriorated roads were paved by Chinese and French companies. Currently, there is no demand from French companies to modernise these roads. The demands of the Chinese companies are being rejected and Côte d'Ivoire has turned towards asphalting these roads with its own internal dynamics. As a matter of fact, they currently have this qualified power. ✔️ This plan also includes the renovation of 27,000 km of dirt roads in Abidjan and the interior of the country during the period 2023-2025, as part of infrastructure development policies. ✅ However, for the modernisation of these roads in the interior of the country, they will open the parts outside their own resources to foreign organisations. This is an issue that will be clarified at the beginning of 2025. 📈 These investments are necessary to facilitate mobility, revitalise the economy and open up the regions. 🎯 The asphalting of dirt roads throughout the country also draws attention as a very important state policy as they attach importance to agriculture. 

WHY IS CHINESE INVESTMENT IN AFRICA DECLINING? It reveals that China's foreign direct investment in Africa is often overvalued in terms of both quantity and job creation. Although 643 projects worth $150bn have been announced, only a fraction of these amounts have actually been committed. Many projects have been cancelled or withdrawn, such as the new administrative capital in Egypt ($20 billion) and the city of Modderfontein in South Africa ($6.4 billion). 📊 Among the 10 largest announced FDI projects, less than $10 billion is estimated to have been invested, which is much lower than the $53 billion announced. 💼 In Africa, which accounts for about 7 per cent of China's FDI abroad, 325,000 jobs have been created according to official databases, but the reality of these projects is often less transformative than hoped. 📍📍📍 So why is this so? 1. A few months ago, we posted about China's labour force and investments in Africa and said; Chinese investments are gradually decreasing in real terms. 2. If we overgeneralise the situation, it is certain that whichever leader is elected after the US elections to be held on 5 November will impose an embargo or high tax rates against Chinese products. 3. Because China pursues a policy to sell the products it produces in Africa to the world market. 4. Mainly for this reason, especially in the last decade, China has chosen to cautiously reduce its investments in Africa by acting with foresight. ✅ There will be a very special article on this subject, including Turkey. When it is ready, it will also be shared here. 

TURKEY'S PRESENCE IN THE SAHEL COUNTRY NIGER Turkey and Niger, Africa's mineral-rich country, will cooperate in the exploration and extraction of mineral resources. Both Turkey's public and private sector companies will be actively encouraged to invest in Niger's mining sector. Negotiations between Niger and Turkey have gained momentum since July 2024, and Turkey's presence in tenders in Niger, a country rich in minerals such as oil, natural gas, uranium, gold, thorium and gold, will increase. Thus, the new player of the region, especially Russia, France and the US, will be more stable with Turkey. ✔ As a matter of fact, the Niger authorities have started to favor Turkey, especially on issues where they are uncomfortable with Russia.

The Sahara desert is flooded for the first time in nearly fifty years. A rare deluge of rain created new lakes in the rolling sand dunes of parts of the Sahara, one of the driest places on earth. Palm trees greeted the desert town of Merzouga near Racidia in southeastern Morocco on 2 October with about 20 centimetres of rainfall. 

SENEGAL: NEW PORT CONSTRUCTION AND NEW PLAYERS OTHER THAN FRANCE Dubai-based DP Word, which provides logistics and port services, has officially started the actual construction of the port complex in Ndayane, located on the southern coastline of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, which has been going through many processes since 2022. The project, which has a budget of approximately USD 1.2 billion, will be completed in 2026. DP Word also plans to establish an economic zone near Dakar's new airport Blaise-Diagne. We have stated that Senegal has started to move away from France together with Mauritania since March 2024. With the new President of Senegal, Senegal has increased its steps to distance itself from France, and despite enormous pressure from France, the Dubai-based logistics company was allowed to settle in the country. As a matter of fact, France has become difficult to sign major projects in the country as before. 🎯 In the coming period, it has started to be voiced loudly among public officials that the United Arab Emirates and Turkey-based construction organisations will be given the opportunity to carry out major projects in the country. 

ZAMBIA: FINANCING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WITH MINING REVENUE  Zambia, a southern African country, is the second largest copper producer in Africa. ⚒️ As a result of the geological mapping carried out jointly with the Republic of South Africa this year, Zambia will be a partner of the Zambian state itself in 45% of the copper and other mines to be newly opened. 🎯 Thus, it will resist the exploitation of its mines. While this initiative is part of Zambia's strategy to maximise mining revenues, it aims to start operating all newly discovered mines by 2030. The state, which already owns 20 per cent of major mines, wants to use mining revenues to finance investments in agriculture, energy and transport. This goal has now become state policy and almost all colonial-era border disputes have been resolved. It wants to achieve its goal by opening tenders with the income from mining in order to asphalt the dirt roads in the settlements towards the borders of the country and bring them into the economy. ▶️ The first of these tenders will be held in the second quarter of 2025. 

AFRINA'S 10 LONGEST ROADS Africa is home to some of the longest and most iconic roads in the world. They stretch across diverse landscapes and connect countries and regions.  These roads are not only essential for transportation. They also play an important role in economic development and regional integration. ▶️ Which are these roads? 1. Trans-African Highway 1 (TAH 1): Cairo to Dakar - 8,636 km 2nd Trans-Saharan Highway: Algiers to Lagos - 4,500 km 3. Trans-African Highway 4 (TAH 4): Cairo to Gaborone - 10,228 km 4. N1 Road: Cape Town to Beitbridge - 1,939 km 5. Lagos-Mombasa Highway: Lagos to Mombasa - 6,259 km Trans-African Highway 9 (TAH 9): Beira to Lobito - 3,523 km 7. A1 Road: Cairo to Cape Town - 10,228 km 8. N2 Road: Cape Town to Ermelo - 2.255 km 9. West African Coastal Highway: Nouakchott to Lagos - 4,560 km N7 Road 10: Cape Town to Vioolsdrif - 666 km ✔✔✔✔ So far, this is all statistics and information that can be easily found in the press. A. These routes facilitate the work of African peoples and help them to mingle culturally. Economically, of course, they increase trade relations.  B. But what is not mentioned or ignored or postponed is that 60% of the cargo carried by commercial vehicles on the roads currently in use belongs to non-African capital. Now we can ask! For which capital were these roads built? ▶️ On the other hand, it is seen that the transportation of weapons to various parts of the continent has increased through these roads. ▶️ According to one view, as these roads and their limbs are completed, the continent will be more easily controlled by foreign capital and coup attempts will become easier. 

WILL A NEW ERA BEGIN IN CAMEROON? On August 24, we published the reasons why 91-year-old Cameroonian President Paul Biya, who has ruled the country for 42 years, will run for re-election in 2025. Paul Biya was last seen at the China-Africa summit in early September 2024 and was treated in Switzerland for health problems.  He had already won the last election while receiving treatment in France. But now the situation is different. It is almost certain that Paul Biya died while receiving treatment in Switzerland. However, the news of his death has been systematically denied since October 8. What is the reason for this? - For decades, French strategist Patricia Balme, who has accompanied many African heads of state such as Macky Sall of Senegal, Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast and Paul Biya of Cameroon, has been working to design the new political formation in Cameroon. - In Senegal, France failed to keep Macky Sall in power and US capital prevailed. Now France is completely focused on Cameroon. Because they do not want to lose the capital they manage in Cameroon with the new President. - According to Gloria Wirkom, one of the most important business people in the country, the President has passed away. ▶️ As a special information, we can say that: 1. Just as a soccer player was elected president of Liberia, there is a possibility that the famous soccer player Samuel Eto'o will be elected president of Cameroon. 2. With this election, the capital in Cameroon will start to change hands. 3. Infrastructure investment tenders in the country have been deliberately suspended for the last two years. One of the most important reasons for this is the prevailing view that the new president who will replace Paul Biya will not be pro-French.