Chinese investment announcements in Africa under Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative rose to $33.5 billion in the first half of 2026, an increase of more than 250% when compared to the first half of 2025, Semafort reported on July 27 based on a July 26 report from the University of Queensland's Asia Pacific Center for Industry Transitions and the China-based Green Finance & Development Center. The report found that Ethiopia and Egypt received the most Chinese investment in Africa during the first half of 2026, with $18.9 billion and $12.2 billion in investment pledges, respectively.