By Amin Kef Sesay
The Eighteeth Ministerial Conference of The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation kicked off on the 29th November 2021 and during the Opening Ceremony the Chinese President, Xi Jinping ,delivered a keynote speech titled: Uphold the Tradition of Always Standing Together And Jointly Build a China-Africa Community With a Shared Future in the New Era via video link.
President Xi stated that the key to a close China-Africa relationship and a deep bond of friendship lies in the everlasting spirit, which features sincere friendship, equality, win-win for mutual benefit, common development, fairness, justice, progress with the times, openness and inclusiveness.
He expressed sincere appreciation to the many African friends who had supported the restoration of China’s lawful seat in the United Nations, and pledged that China will never forget the profound friendship of African countries. President Xi reiterated that China will remain guided by the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests and work with African friends to promote China-Africa friendship and cooperation.
In the speech, President Xi made four proposals on promoting China-Africa development and nine programs on deepening China-Africa practical cooperation, a reflection of China’s sincerity and firm support to Africa in the fight against COVID-19 and achieving social economic progress. The four proposals are fighting COVID-19 with solidarity, deepening practical cooperation, promoting green development, upholding equity and justice. The nine programs include the medical and health program, the poverty reduction and agricultural development program, the trade promotion program, the investment promotion program, the digital innovation program, the green development program, the capacity building program, the cultural and people-to-people exchange program, the peace and security program.
President Xi announced that China will provide another one billion doses of vaccines to Africa, including 600 million doses as donation and 400 million doses to be provided through such means as joint production by Chinese companies and relevant African countries. In addition, China will undertake 10 medical and health projects for African countries, and send 1,500 medical personnel and public health experts to Africa.
President Xi declared that China will undertake 10 poverty reduction and agricultural projects for Africa, and send 500 agricultural experts to Africa. China will set up a number of China-Africa joint centers for modern agro-technology exchange, demonstration and training in China, encourage Chinese institutions and companies to build in Africa demonstration villages for China-Africa cooperation on agricultural development and poverty reduction, and support the Alliance of Chinese Companies in Africa for Corporate Social Responsibilities in launching the initiative of “100 Companies in 1,000 Villages”.
President Xi promised that China will open “green lanes” for African agricultural exports to China, speed up the inspection and quarantine procedures, and further increase the scope of products enjoying zero-tariff treatment for the least developed countries (LDCs) having diplomatic relations with China, in a bid to reach 300 billion US dollars in total imports from Africa in the next three years.
China will provide 10 billion US dollars of trade finance to support African export, and build in China a pioneering zone for in-depth China-Africa trade and economic cooperation and a China-Africa industrial park for Belt and Road cooperation. China will undertake 10 connectivity projects for Africa, form an expert group on economic cooperation with the secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and give continued support to the development of the AfCFTA.
President Xi committed that China will encourage its businesses to invest no less than 10 billion US dollars in Africa in the next three years, and will establish a platform for China-Africa private investment promotion. China will undertake 10 industrialization and employment promotion projects for Africa, provide credit facilities of 10 billion US dollars to African financial institutions, support the development of African SMEs on a priority basis, and establish a China-Africa cross-border RMB center. China will exempt African LDCs from debt incurred in the form of interest-free Chinese government loans due by the end of 2021. China is ready to channel to African countries 10 billion US dollars from its share of the IMF’s new allocation of Special Drawing Rights.
President Xi further announced that China will undertake 10 digital economy projects for Africa, set up centers for China-Africa cooperation on satellite remote-sensing application, and support the development of China-Africa joint laboratories, partner institutes, and scientific and technological innovation cooperation bases.
China will work with African countries to expand Silk Road e-commerce cooperation, hold online shopping festivals featuring quality African products and tourism e-commerce promotion activities, and launch a campaign to market 100 African stores and 1,000 African products on e-commerce platforms.
President Xi said that China will undertake 10 green development, environmental protection and climate action projects for Africa, support the development of the “Great Green Wall”, and build in Africa centers of excellence on low-carbon development and climate change adaptation.
President Xi pledged that China will help build or upgrade 10 schools in Africa, and invite 10,000 high-level African professionals to seminars and workshops. We will implement “Future of Africa —- a project for China-Africa cooperation on vocational education”, and start an employment “through train” scheme for African students in China. China will continue to work with African countries to set up “Luban Workshops”, and encourage Chinese companies in Africa to create at least 800,000 local jobs.
President Xi stated that China will support making all African countries having diplomatic ties with China approved destinations for Chinese tourist groups. We will hold African film festivals in China and Chinese film festivals in Africa, as well as a China-Africa youth services forum, and a China-Africa women’s forum.
President Xi proclaimed that China will undertake 10 peace and security projects for Africa, continue to deliver military assistance to the AU, support African countries’ efforts to independently maintain regional security and fight terrorism, and conduct joint exercises and on-site training between Chinese and African peacekeeping troops and cooperation on small arms and light weapons control.
Addressing African Foreign Ministers and diplomats at the opening ceremony of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa cooperation in Senegal, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping outlined development and cooperation packages for Africa.
The theme of the conference is ‘Deepen China-Africa Partnership and Promote Sustainable Development to Build a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era.
Recalling the important support from some African countries to China, President Xi said “China will never forget the profound friendship with Africa and will work even stronger on this friendship”.
He outlined proposals for the fight against COVID-19 with solidarity support to the AU achieves its 60% vaccination drive. He also disclosed that China will deepen practical cooperation and expand trade, investment and also promote entrepreneurship.
President Xi also spoke about promoting green development and upholding equity, justice as China’s core values of democracy.
On China-Africa 2035 vision, President Xi outlined nine intervention programmes by China to Africa. In the medical and health programs, he spoke on the help to the AU as China will provide 1billion COVID-19 doses to Africa, Six hundred thousand (600,000) doses as donations; four hundred thousand (400,000) by joint production; 10 medical health programs and1, 000 medical personnel to Africa.
President Xi also said on poverty reduction in Africa, China will lay emphasis on agricultural collaboration and investment with 900 agricultural experts and 10 agricultural companies. Taking along trade promotion programs, he revealed the opening of trade routes and provision of zero tariff with countries having diplomatic relations with China.
He announced the provision of 10 billion USD to support Africa export, provide 10 connectivity projects in Africa and invest in Africa investment promotion programs.
With that he stated, China will provide 10billion USD in the next 3 years to Africa with 10 industrialization projects and credit facilities to SMEs.
President Xi took importance of digital economy projects to Africa, green development projects and capacity building projects where China will build or refurbish 10 schools or refurbish in Africa. Also invite 10,000 African professionals to China and create 800,000 jobs.
China will continue with their cultural and people to people programs as well as undertake peace and security programs by providing military assistance to the AU and conduct joint military exercises with Africa peacekeeping forces.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Professor David J. Francis, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, H.E Ernest Ndomahina and Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Dakar, Senegal H.E Alhaji Brima Elvis Koroma are part of the FOCAC conference with their counterparts in Africa and hundreds of other African diplomats.
The meeting would ‘review and assess the follow-up implementation of the outcomes of the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit as well as the joint China-Africa response to COVID-19, and chart the course for China-Africa relations for the next three years and more to come.
