This thesis examines the relationship between China and Zambia through an in-depth study of Chinese investments and loans, focusing specifically on Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The central research question investigates whether China’s economic involvement in Zambia fosters mutual development through interdependence or contributes to neocolonialism. Chinese loans to Zambia have been substantial, enabling significant infrastructure projects. However, these loans have also led to increased debt dependency, limiting Zambia's economic sovereignty. The frequent need for loan forgiveness highlights the sustainability issues of this financial model. Chinese investments in Zambia, particularly in SEZs, aim to stimulate economic growth. While these investments have led to job creation and infrastructure development, there is criticism that they primarily benefit Chinese interests and perpetuate an extractive economic model. China's involvement in Zambia raises concerns about political influence. The dependence on Chinese loans and investments can potentially undermine Zambia's political sovereignty, as seen in instances where Chinese financial support has continued despite Zambia’s debt crisis. The influx of Chinese companies and workers has had mixed social effects. While creating employment, it has also sparked debates about labor conditions and environmental practices. The balance between economic benefits and social costs remains a contentious issue. This thesis employs both neocolonialism and interdependence as theoretical frameworks to analyze these dynamics. Neocolonialism helps in understanding the power imbalances and economic dependency that may arise from China's strategic investments. In contrast, the interdependence perspective highlights the potential for mutual benefits and collaborative economic growth. Overall, the relationship between China and Zambia is complex, characterized by both opportunities for development and risks of dependency. The results show that China shows slightly more neocolonialistic tendencies, rather than working towards interdependence.

This study agrees that the creation of SEZs in Côte d'Ivoire is a good strategy to attract FDI, promote transfer of technology and develop the trade capacity of the country. It has the positive effect of contributing to improve the performance of the domestic industry. Besides, the new industries will create job opportunities and produce a sustainable economic growth. However, the fact that Côte d'Ivoire is party to RTAs in the sub-region like WAEMU and ECOWAS frameworks reduces the potential export market within the region for the SEZs based companies. In addition, the investors in SEZs could be faced with trade barriers induced by the divergent trade rules under RTAs. That could make the would-be investors reluctant to invest in Côte d'Ivoire, and induce them to choose another country to invest in. In the light of the need for investors to deal with clear and predictable rules, this investigation argues that the multiplicity of regional and divergent regulations governing goods from SEZs could be source of confusion and concerns, and eventually, it could impact negatively on SEZs programmes implementation in Côte d'Ivoire. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2014 / gm2015 / Centre for Human Rights / LLM / Unrestricted