Fudan-Arab Lecture Series No.1

Title: 

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Middle East:

Pioneering International Development in the Global South

Speaker: 

Prof. Alvaro Mendez，London School of Economics (LSE) and Fudan University

Host: 

Prof. Yijia Jing, IGPP, Fudan University

Discussant:

Assis. Prof. Yunxiong Li, IGPP, Fudan University

Time: 

12:00-13:00 (Beijing Time), November 10th

Venue: 

Room 805E, 8thFloor, West Sub-building of Guanghua Towers

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The Speaker：

Professor Alvaro Mendez serves as the Director of the Global South Unit at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where he is also a Senior Fellow and the Academic Director of short programmes at LSE IDEAS. Additionally, he participates as a full research professor at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid, where he is involved in a multi-year research project on sustainable banking financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. Prof. Mendez is affiliated with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) as an Associate Fellow and holds positions as a Foreign Expert and Adjunct Professor at Fudan University. He teaches at LSE, Sciences Po, and Fudan, and has authored numerous books and articles, including his latest book co-authored with Chris Alden, titled 'China and Latin America: Development, Agency, and Geopolitics' (Bloomsbury, 2023). His work has been published in high-impact journals such as GeopoliticsGeopolitics, Global Policy, Asia Business and Management, Sustainability Journal of Business Research The China Journal Asia Pacific Business Review Finance Research Letters and Foreign Policy Analysis Analysis.

Abstract:

This lecture explores the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's (AIIB) pivotal role in the Middle East, a region of increasing global significance. Operating from Beijing, China, the AIIB's innovative approach to international finance has rapidly propelled it to the forefront of multilateral development banks, boasting a membership of 106 countries and a capitalization of $100 billion. With over 12 regional countries as members, its deep-rooted connection with the Middle East reached its zenith in 2021 when the AIIB hosted its annual meeting in Dubai, showcasing its commitment to the region's economic development. Beyond the Middle East, the AIIB's unique approach combines aid, trade, and investment in financially and environmentally sustainable infrastructure projects, catalyzing structural transformation without traditional conditionalities. This approach resonates in regions across the global South, including Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The lecture provides specific examples from these regions to illustrate the AIIB's innovative strategies and their impact on international development in the global South.