Interview: BRI enabling countries to benefit from China's economic gains: Ethiopian scholar

ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has enabled countries cooperating with China under the initiative to benefit from China's vast economic gains, an Ethiopian scholar has said.

Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, a professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, lauded the initiative for creating win-win economic opportunities for partner countries, with growing infrastructure connectivity and economic integration.

"The BRI is probably one of the most significant initiatives of the 21st century globally," Costantinos said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Costantinos, who also served as an economic advisor to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, said the BRI is effectively facilitating the realization of infrastructure development projects such as railways, highways, airports, and deep seaports, eventually bringing various socioeconomic development opportunities for countries.

"This is an idea that has emanated opportunities for countries to be able to trade and connect more frequently and more efficiently," the scholar said.

He said under the BRI framework, China is enhancing countries' capabilities with extensive technology and knowledge transfer initiatives that are underway.

"Building the BRI is important for not only China but countries along the Belt and Road, which will eventually benefit from the economic gains that China has experienced through the past three decades," Costantinos said.

The scholar, in particular, commended the initiative's unparalleled contribution to the development of countries in the developing world, with due emphasis given to the African continent.

"We should celebrate the BRI. With no doubt, it is one of the most significant initiatives of the century," he said.

He further underscored the imperative the BRI had presented in terms of facilitating trade access among countries, which would in turn facilitate global economic integration.

"Definitely, trade access routes are the major benefits to countries because they can import and export goods and services very easily," Costantinos said.

"More importantly, once we have these kinds of infrastructure developed, investors can come to the developing nations to develop their potential so that they can export more and have a balance of payments," he added.

The scholar further underscored China's commitment to the path of peaceful global development, which helps to significantly address global socioeconomic challenges.