Belt and Road Initiative Disputes: An Arbitration Perspective on the Impact of the China-USA Trade War and COVID-19

This article was originally published by the African Arbitration Association and was presented at the AfAA 2nd Annual International Arbitration Conference. Any opinions in this article are not those of Winston & Strawn or its clients. The opinions in this article are the author’s opinions only. 

The Belt and Road Initiative represents great opportunities in Africa, however projects are reportedly under strain and criticism for a lack of transparency in selection of sub-contractors, delayed execution, lack of capacity building, and unwieldy debt burdens. External events in the last few years—in particular the U.S.-China trade war and the spread of the COVID-19 virus—have caused significant disruption for infrastructure projects and supply chains. This article explores those developments as they relate to Belt and Road projects in Africa, and comments upon the potential dispute and arbitration trends which may arise as a result.

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