2017年CRI Interview: Priorities for Africa's infrastructure construction

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Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, third from left, watches a cargo¹ train carrying port containers begin its opening run from Mombasa to Nairobi, Kenya, May 30, 2017. [Photo:AP]

The newly launched Standard Gauge² Railways linking Kenya's port city Mombasa with its capital Nairobi has raised discussions on the basic infrastructure³ construction needs of the African continent.

The railway, a 480 km line which kicked off passenger service on June 1, is currently operating with scheduled passenger trains running on a daily basis.

Built to "Chinese standards, with Chinese techniques, Chinese facilities and Chinese management", it's expected to provide a massive boost to the socio-economic development of the whole region.

International media are now examining the effective ways to help local economies through more infrastructure projects.

It is widely believed policymakers have not successfully defined the political and economic approaches to enable Africa to realize its development potentials.

For more, CRI's Zhou Jingnan is joined by David Shinn,Former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia and Burkino, Former Director for East African Affairs at the State Department, deputy Chief of U.S. missions in Sudan, Cameron and Mauritania,and professor in the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.