The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was held from September 4 to 6 in Beijing. Chinese and African leaders focused on the theme of “Joining Hands to Promote Modernization and Build a High-Level Chinese-African Community of Destiny.” They discussed friendship, cooperation and the future together.
People from diverse backgrounds across Africa, interviewed by this reporter, expressed that the Africa-China friendly family, gathered once again in Beijing, will collaboratively create a new blueprint for Africa-China cooperation in this new era. This initiative aims to elevate the construction of an Africa-China community of shared destiny to a new level and deliver tangible benefits to the people of both Africa and China.
For the Collaborative Development of a High-Level Africa-China Community of Shared Destiny
Over the past 24 years since the founding of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), particularly in the new era, FOCAC has achieved remarkable milestones and has become the a beacon for advancing international collaboration with Africa and enhancing partnerships within the Global South. With the joint efforts and advocacy of President Xi Jinping and African leaders, China and Africa have prioritized friendship and cooperation, advanced the development of the Forum, implemented its outcomes, and propelled China-Africa relations to new heights, achieving significant progress and leapfrog development.
Mwini, the President of Zanzibar, Tanzania, stated that this year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Tanzania and China. Over the past six decades, the Chinese government and its people have made significant contributions to the development of Tanzania and the broader African region. believe that China-Africa cooperation will achieve even greater success in the future, Mwinyi expressed high regard for China’s developmental achievements and expressed anticipation for the 2024 FOCAC summit, hoping it will provide more development opportunities for African countries and a better life for the African people.
Kenya’s Chief Cabinet Minister and Foreign Minister, Mudavadi, stated that the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) serves as a vital platform for enhancing mutual trust and understanding between Africa and China, as well as for forging consensus on development. He emphasized that Kenya firmly supports China in organizing the FOCAC summit in 2024. In recent years, the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Kenya and China has been steadily advancing. The Kenyan side looks forward to this summit as an opportunity to open a new chapter in Kenyan-Chinese relations, promoting trade and investment, peace and security, cultural exchanges, and other areas of practical cooperation between the two countries to a new level. Together, they aim to build a closer Kenyan-Chinese community of shared destiny in the new era.
“Africa and China will continue to uphold their traditional friendship, deepen solidarity, and enhance cooperation within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), jointly creating a new blueprint for the development of Africa-China relations.” Getachew Adem Tahir, a macroeconomic adviser at the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s Office, stated that FOCAC serves as a vital collective dialogue mechanism between African nations and China. Its purpose is to strengthen consultations on an equal footing, expand pragmatic cooperation, and promote shared development. African countries are eager to bolster Africa-China cooperation and advance economic development under the FOCAC framework.
Paul Frimpong, the executive director of the Africa-China Policy Consultative Center in Ghana, stated that China’s global development initiatives, security initiatives, and civilization initiatives have been widely embraced by the international community and have significantly contributed to world peace and development. The high-quality collaborative efforts in the construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative have greatly advanced the development of African countries across various sectors. He expressed optimism that Africa and China will work together to promote modernization and foster greater consensus in building a high-level Africa-China community of shared destiny.
Africa-China Cooperation Across Various Sectors to Achieve More Significant Outcomes
China has consistently been a strong supporter and a willing partner in the modernization efforts across Africa. The Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative have been seamlessly integrated with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of individual African nations. This collaboration is facilitated through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which has enabled the joint implementation of the “Ten Major Cooperation Programs,” “Eight Major Actions,” “Eight Major Initiatives,” and “Eight Major Programs” with African countries. Building on the FOCAC platform, we will continue to collaborate with African nations to advance the “Ten Cooperation Programs,” “Eight Major Actions,” and “Nine Projects,” while striving to enhance the quality and scope of China-Africa cooperation. Africans eagerly anticipate the upcoming summit as a pivotal opportunity to deepen collaboration between Africa and China, thereby broadening the path toward shared development and prosperity.
“By leveraging this summit as an opportunity, Africa and China can further enhance their cooperation in areas such as science and technology, education, modern agriculture, public health, culture, and the arts.” Leokadi Ndakayisaba, Burundi’s Minister of Communications, Information Technology, and Media, emphasized that collaboration between the two countries in the communications sector is vital for the advancement of communication infrastructure in Burundi, yielding significant benefits for the Burundian people. The involvement of Chinese enterprises has notably improved the coverage of Burundi’s communication network.
Mwencha, the former vice-chairman of the African Union Commission, stated that since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), both Africa and China have consistently committed to enhancing practical cooperation within the framework of the forum. This commitment has led to a continuous increase in bilateral trade, improvements in Africa’s infrastructure, and increasingly rich cultural exchanges between the two regions. is hoped that in the future, both sides will further expand cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and the digital economy.
Conclusion
Toner Master Follows the Footstep of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and makes contributation to the friendship, cooperation, trading and development between China and Africa.