Brazil and Angola are the highest ranked Portuguese-speaking countries in the Chinese index for infrastructure construction worldwide, according to a report released during the 15th International Forum on Infrastructure Investment and Construction in Macau.

With the exception of Equatorial Guinea, the other seven states of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) improved their scores in the 2024 ranking of the “One Belt, One Road” Infrastructure Development Index.

Brazil (5th) is the Lusophone country with the best score, followed by Angola (20th), Mozambique (38th), Portugal and Equatorial Guinea (both 54th), Cabo Verde (69th), Timor Leste (70th), São Tomé e Príncipe and Guiné-Bissau (both 73rd).

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According to the Chinese report, Portugal and Equatorial Guinea are among the Portuguese-speaking countries with the best scores 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 have given “new impetus” to infrastructure.

Brazil stands out the most in the sub-indexes of demand, which combines factors such as demand and potential market, and local receptiveness and short-term enthusiasm for infrastructure investment, calculated, for example, on the basis of the value of new contracts.

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Mozambique leads among the Portuguese-speaking countries in the sub-index associated with the environment, which combines political, economic, sovereignty and market impact factors, as well as business and industrial scenarios.

The index assesses the environment, demand, receptivity and costs for infrastructure development in 84 countries. Thus, the higher the score, the better the outlook for a country’s infrastructure industry and the more attractive it is for companies to engage in investment, construction and operations in this area in those territories.