Case Study Overview

Akhil D -

Hey everyone, welcome back! Today, I wanted to discuss the case studies that will be used in my project. The way I will be conducting my project is by looking at 29 different projects funded by MDBs all across Africa. Generally, all these case studies will fall into 1 of 9 categories.

  1. Transportation Infrastructure Projects
  2. Power Generation and Distribution
  3. Water and Sanitation Projects
  4. Healthcare Infrastructure
  5. Education Infrastructure
  6. Agricultural Development
  7. Urban Development
  8. Harmful Projects
  9. Hegemonically-influenced Projects

Of course, I won’t go into the specifics of each project I will look at just yet. But to give you all a teaser, here are some of the projects I will be looking at.

  1. Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway: This railway project, funded by MDBs, including the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank, connects landlocked Ethiopia to the Port of Djibouti, significantly improving trade and transportation efficiency in the region.
  2. Bujagali Hydropower Plant (Uganda): With funding from various MDBs, including the World Bank, the Bujagali Hydropower Plant has added substantial electricity generation capacity to Uganda’s grid, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and increasing access to electricity.
  3. Morocco Education for All Project: Financed by the African Development Bank, this project focused on expanding access to education and improving educational outcomes in Morocco, including the construction of schools and the provision of educational materials and teacher training.
  4. Chad-Cameroon Pipeline: The Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project, funded by the World Bank and other MDBs, has been criticized for its social and environmental impacts, including the displacement of local communities, degradation of natural habitats, and threats to biodiversity. Critics also raised concerns about the project’s contribution to corruption and human rights abuses in the region.
  5. Lamu Coal Power Plant (Kenya): The Lamu Coal Power Plant project, supported by the African Development Bank, among others, faced opposition due to its potential environmental and health impacts. Critics raised concerns about air and water pollution, as well as the project’s contribution to climate change. The plant was also criticized for its potential to harm local communities and the tourism industry in Lamu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Thank you for reading. See you next time!

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Comments:

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    Moksha Dalal
    Hi Akhil! It is so interesting to see how regions are handling their environment differently. I am also studying Hydropower Plants and I was wondering how Uganda is able to install such a large plant. Do they experience a lot of rain to supply that water and how far from the main cities is the plant located? Why are countries like Kenya still dependent on coal power plants?
    February 22, 2024 at 8:02 am - Reply
    camillebennett
    Hi Akhil, sounds like you are diving deeper into the specifics! Do you think there may be some crossover within your topics? For example, could a power generation project also be a harmful project? I am interested in how you will categorize each!
    February 22, 2024 at 9:43 am - Reply
    dishita_k
    This is really interesting, Akhil! I'm curious to learn more about the different categories of projects, especially the "Harmful Projects" and "Hegemonically-influenced Projects." It seems like these projects could have a big impact.I look forward to hearing your thoughts on them!
    March 4, 2024 at 4:37 pm - Reply
    akhil_d
    Hi Moksha! Thank you for your comment. Uganda's ability to install large hydropower plants like the Owen Falls Dam stems from its abundant water resources, facilitating hydroelectric power generation. Investment and financing sourced from government funds and international loans also support the feasibility of these projects. Hydropower plants are also typically located near water sources but away from major cities for logistical and safety reasons. Kenya's dependence on coal power plants can be attributed to historical investments, limited alternatives, cost considerations, and prevailing policy and regulatory environments shaping energy decisions.
    March 5, 2024 at 11:53 am - Reply
    akhil_d
    Thank you for your comment, Ms. Bennett! There is definitely a lot of crossover in my case studies. For example, if an MDB is financing a power generation project that is in close proximity to a major city and/or has dangerous labor conditions, there will definitely be a harmful aspect to their investment. It will be really interesting to do cost-benefit analysis on all of these different case studies!
    March 5, 2024 at 11:57 am - Reply
    akhil_d
    Thank you for your comment, Dishita! The harmful and hegemonically influenced projects can become extremely consequential without proper oversight from government and international regulators. I am excited to delve into these types of projects, as they are one of the biggest reasons I am researching my topic in the first place!
    March 5, 2024 at 12:00 pm - Reply

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