Academics from South Africa 's University of the Witwatersrand and the London School of Economics have said that China 's One Belt , One Road development initiative needs the support of African governments to succeed . China understands the opportunities presented by this state of flux. In an article for The Conversation , researchers Yu - Shan Wu , David Smith and George Sidiropoulos stated that the initiative could help Africa plug its infrastructure deficit and accelerate industrialisation . However , its success depends on African governments providing a stable investment environment , especially " if , as envisaged , the private sector plays a key role in Belt and Road projects , " the researchers wrote .
Academics from South Africa 's University of the Witwatersrand and the London School of Economics have said that China 's One Belt , One Road development initiative needs the support of African governments to succeed . In an article for The Conversation , researchers Yu - Shan Wu , David Smith and George Sidiropoulos stated that the initiative could help Africa plug its infrastructure deficit and accelerate industrialisation . However , its success depends on African governments providing a stable investment environment , especially " if , as envisaged , the private sector plays a key role in Belt and Road projects , " the researchers wrote .