China's New Silk Road Initiative (Belt and Road Initiative, BRI) has been spinning its logistical and infrastructural web around the world since 2013. Massive infrastructural investments in tracks and roads as well as in the agricultural and energy sector and logistical centers were made in over 50 countries in Eurasia. BRI is a central component of Chinese investment policies across the Eurasian continent and has been largely affected and interrupted by the current war in Ukraine, too.

Overall, China’s involvement and programs affected core public policy areas in over 100 countries in the world, and hence human rights and governance. It has a transformative impact in various directions, triggering on the one side social movements, sometimes protest and on the other, consolidating autocratic regimes and suppression.

Almost a decade after the official launch of BRI, this workshop assessed the BRI’s political and social implications across the heartland of Eurasia between Europe and China. In particular, it discussed the impact of the BRI on a wide range of human rights-related topics.

The workshop took place on Monday 16 May 2022 from 9:00 to 17:00h CEST.

  • Workshop website
  • Program
  • Short report
  • Report Workshop BRI 2022 "China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its Impact on Human Rights Compliance" by Viktoria Kaffanke and Udo Steinbach (All assessments expressed in this report represent the view of its authors solely and as such may differ from the perspective of the workshop participants.)

 

The event was co-hosted by IPSA Research Committee 34 “Quality of Democracy”, the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, the Center on Governance through Human Rights, and the Maecenata Foundation’s MENA Study Centre.

Organizers:

Dr. Anja Mihr -- OSCE Academy in Bishkek / HVGP Center on Governance through Human Rights

Dr. Brigitte Weiffen -- The Open University, Milton Keynes / IPSA RC 34 “Quality of Democracy”

Dr. Udo Steinbach -- MENA Study Centre