Architectural Infrastructure As A Catalyst For National Development

There is consensus among scholars that urbanisation can generate economic growth.Consensus has also been established that while aid has not been effective in promoting the economic growth of sub-Saharan countries,project-based aid has been very successful in achieving its objectives in the region.Malawi has thus experienced ‘positive structural changes’ on its economy since 1998.In light of its low level of urbanisation,currently at 16%,Malawi has taken advantage and sought to promote positive urbanisation as a source of economic growth to complement the declining agricultural sector.To achieve this,Malawi established bilateral ties with the Peoples Republic of China in 2008 and has since received huge sums of aid which has mainly gone towards urban infrastructure development.This study has used a case study approach,analysing the four landmark architectural projects with an estimated total value of USD285 million implemented during the first Chinese aid package to Malawi.The objective is to ascertain their contribution towards the economic development of Malawi.Using a combination of descriptive analysis,mathematical tabulations,bivariate and Pearson’s chi-square,the research has generated findings and established relationship between politics,economics and spatiality of these aid projects.The study finds that Chinese aid projects are highly political in Malawi.Politics has informed choice and location for the majority of the projects.The study has found that two out of the four projects have a positive effect on Malawi’s economic growth.The two ineffective projects are impacted by choice of project and spatial location.The study did not find a complete departure from any urban policy but rather found the complete absence of it.The study finds that most Malawians are not happy with the ‘turn key’ approach to implementation of these projects,however more than 80 percent of them would like to see China continue providing aid to Malawi for more infrastructure development.The study recommends the adherence to national economic development objectives and involvement of relevant stakeholders in the choice of projects.Projects recommended for financing should always be those that will have positive effect on the economy.Such projects could easily get finance from ‘China’s Angolan’ model initiative.The study recommends that at present,projects should be developed in already established urban centres until the country starts to generate enough resources of its own.Finally,the study contends that the ‘Turn Key’ approach is largely good for Malawi in order to accelerate its own economic development and built its own local capacity which will enable it to begin to negotiate for better aid arrangements with China in the near future.