The digital scramble for Africa: Understanding Chinese smart cities in Africa

The United States must compete with China’s growing influence in Africa. China invests in information technology architecture to increase its influence in Africa. This deepening presence challenges the United States’ influence in Africa. African states can grant the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) access, basing, and overflight opportunities. China also leverages its influence to access African states’ data pools and refine its military intelligence apparatus. The United States can still strengthen its role as the region’s partner of choice through a cohesive strategy.

In early 2017, China and Djibouti signed an agreement under which the Chinese government committed $20 million USD to the Djiboutian Urban Security Monitoring System Project. China installed 600-800 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras with facial recognition technology, developing a modern surveillance system across Djibouti. This project indicates China’s growing interest in infrastructure investment and development in Africa in cooperation with state governments. The arrangements provide opportunities for China to strengthen relationships in Africa, expand its national intelligence efforts abroad, and compete with the United States for influence on the continent. The United States faces the challenge and opportunity of competing with and countering China’s growing leverage in Africa through the information space, while protecting the United States and its partners’ interests.

China outlined its Digital Silk Road initiative in developing countries in a 2015 government-produced white paper. The initiative focuses on investing in the information technology architecture of developing countries to expand Chinese influence. As of 2021, the Chinese information technology company Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. had built over 70% of Africa’s fourth-generation networks, with plans to build fifth-generation infrastructure. China’s investments in Africa have also created digital smart cities across the continent. Smart cities are urban centers that incorporate automated technologies, such as facial recognition systems and artificial intelligence, into the infrastructure. African countries such as Djibouti have adopted these technologies through China’s Digital Silk Road initiative. African governments integrate these technologies into urban infrastructure development to propel their countries’ development.

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