With the exception of Equatorial Guinea, the other seven States of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) improved their score in the 2024 ranking of the Infrastructure Development Index "One Belt, One Route".
This initiative, announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, involves more than 80 countries in Beijing's international strategic plan to develop maritime, road and rail links, as well as investment in energy resources.
In the ranking led by Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Vietnam, Brazil (5th) is the Portuguese-speaking country with the best score.
Next, among the CPLP countries, Angola (20th), Mozambique (38th), Portugal and Equatorial Guinea (both in 54th place), Cape Verde (69th), Timor-Leste (70th), São Tomé and Príncipe and Guinea-Bissau (both in 73rd).
The index assesses the environment, demand, receptivity and costs for infrastructure development in 84 countries. The higher the score, the better the outlook for a country's infrastructure industry and the greater the degree of attractiveness for companies to engage in investment, construction and operations in this area in those territories.
Portugal and Equatorial Guinea are, among the Portuguese-speaking countries, from the perspective of the Chinese report, those with the best score in the development sub-index related to operational and financing costs.
The document highlighted "the series of reforms implemented by the Portuguese Government to improve the business environment" and the approval, in December, of the National Investment Program until 2030 as factors that gave "a new impetus" to infrastructures.
Brazil stands out most in the demand sub-indices, which combine factors such as demand and potential market, and local receptivity and short-term enthusiasm for infrastructure investment, calculated, for example, based on the value of new contracts.
Mozambique leads among Portuguese speakers in the sub-index associated with the environment, which brings together political, economic factors, sovereignty, market impact factors, as well as business and industrial scenarios.
The report noted "a moderate rise" in construction costs in Portuguese-speaking markets and warned of the "considerable obstacles" that countries face in the "sustainable development of high-quality infrastructure".
The document was presented at the 15th International Forum on Infrastructure Investment and Construction, which is taking place in Macau, bringing together representatives from more than 70 countries and regions.