AdvertisementAll of this is part of a long-term policy of “stadium diplomacy” which China has been deploying across the continent. For instance, when Gabon co-hosted (with Equatorial Guinea) the Cup of Nations in 2012, China was involved in building both of its stadiums. As part of the proposed arrangement, Saudi Arabia was reportedly offering to build new stadiums in each of its partner countries. In the end, Morocco, Spain and Portugal will be hosting that event, and Saudi Arabia is now the sole bidder for the 2034 competition instead. Others have observed that Saudi Arabia needs access to Africa’s natural resources (such as lithium, cobalt and copper) to drive its economic reforms.

Source: Daily Nation January 15, 2024 12:16 UTC