China strengthens strategic cooperation with Africa
In his speech at the 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s commitment to supporting Africa’s development. Through the Belt and Road Initiative and in synergy with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, China is committed to strengthening dialogue and communication with Africa at all levels.
As part of this cooperation, China will support African integration institutions such as the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECAF) and the African Broadcasting Union, by establishing cooperation mechanisms with these entities.
More concretely, China is proposing three priority areas which will strengthen cooperation with Africa:
1. The Initiative to Support Africa’s Industrialization: China will mobilize resources from its cooperation with Africa and Chinese enterprises to support the development of the manufacturing sector in Africa. The objective is to promote the industrialization and economic diversification of the continent.
2. The African Agricultural Modernization Assistance Program: China will support Africa in the expansion of its cereal crops and encourage Chinese investments in the agricultural sector. There will also be enhanced cooperation on agricultural technologies, particularly in the field of seeds, to promote the transformation of African agriculture.
3. The China-Africa Cooperation Plan for Talent Development: China commits to training 500 high-performance directors and teachers of African vocational schools every year, as well as 10,000 talents proficient in the Chinese language and equipped with professional skills. Additionally, China plans to invite 20,000 government officials and technical professionals from African countries to capacity-building seminars and forums.
This enhanced cooperation between China and Africa aims to support industrialization, agricultural modernization and talent development in Africa, thus contributing to the emergence of a more diversified and resilient economy on the continent.
President Xi Jinping also announced that the next Forum on China-Africa Cooperation conference will be held in China in 2024, providing a new opportunity for dialogue and reflection on future development between China and Africa.