> They likely cancelled at the behest of China

Look, I'm no defender of China but ....

First, read what I already said up-thread. The organisers clearly took a risk, it didn't pay off. If they did not understand the risk they were taking on, that's on them.

Second, Google the agreement referred to in that Twitter post. It was a standard China Belt and Road Financing thing, so super common in Africa that it's barely news.

I really don't think you seriously can pin the Chinese theory on this one.