BEIJING: During the jut ended 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (
FOCAC) in Beijing presided over by African Heads of State as well as delegations of governments from the continent, one can proudly say that it was successful and the Chinese President Xi Jinping crowned it all as the “stellar example.”
In the course, he committed that in the next three years, the country will work with Africa to implement 10 partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernization.
The 10 partnership actions cover areas of mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihoods, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, green development and common security.
On his part, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China elaborating that the bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China have been elevated to the level of strategic relations.
Again, looked at keenly it is a partnership based on mutual respect, equality, and win-win cooperation that provides a meeting point for African countries and China to exchange ideas, make agreements, and develop strategies to strengthen economic cooperation and enhance Africa’s sustainable development.
What are the FOCAC principles?
As earlier seen at the summit in Beijing in 2021, President Xi Jinping of China emphasised the “Five Nos” which guide its foreign policy in dealing with African countries and other developing countries notably: (1) No interference in the way African countries pursue their development paths according to their national conditions; (2) no interference in a country’s internal affairs; (3) no imposition of China’s will on African countries; (4) no attachment of political strings to assistance to Africa; and (5) no seeking of selfish political gains in investment and financing cooperation.
These come with the notion that re-assurance that Africa will not walk a lonely path, implying that Africa can always count on the genuine support of the people of China
Equally, the FOCAC meetings since inception in 2000 has been a uni-multilateral partnership platform between China and 53 African states (all African states except Eswatini, which maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan)
This is because international bilateral or multilateral cooperation on health development has been evolving rapidly since the late twentieth century to meet the increasing needs of vulnerable populations, moving forward effective Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Looked at keenly, African countries need to borrow from China’s significant health diplomacy that emphasizes the importance of health financing in establishing health development commitment and investment in improving the gains and opportunities, importantly efficiency and value health priorities and planning.
Observers comment on the 4th-6th September FOCAC in Beijing
According to Fall and Gakosso, Africa-China cooperation has changed the fate of Africa and will surely go down in history as a model of international cooperation.
Africa is ready to work with China in implementing the outcomes of the summit and the consensus between the two sides, deepening Africa-China friendship, and realizing shared development and common prosperity, they said.
Mwangi Wachira, former World Bank economist and advisor to the Kenyan government, said in an interview with Xinhua that he has long taken note of the China-Africa industrial chain cooperation.
Wachira expected Africa to expand its supply chains to feed factories across the continent.
He envisaged a future in which many of these factories would feature collaboration between Chinese and African entrepreneurs, as well as governments, producing consumer goods for the up-and-coming African middle class.
Zhang Shaogang, deputy director of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, attended the eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs held in Beijing on Friday. He said that China and Africa’s industrial and supply chains complement each other strongly, offering vast opportunities for cooperation.
“The potential for China-Africa cooperation in emerging fields such as the digital economy, green development and artificial intelligence is immense,” he said.
Janson Huang, chairman of the Sino-Tanzania Industrial Park, who also attended the conference, said that promoting the integration of industrial and supply chains between China and Africa will bring significant economic benefits to both sides.
“African countries can learn from China’s experience in manufacturing and technology, and enhance their own industrialization and production capacity,” Huang said, adding that “deeper integration of supply chains will help reduce logistics costs, increase trade efficiency, and promote African products in the global market.”
He also expected China-Africa cooperation to drive infrastructure development in Africa, attract more investment, and create more jobs locally.
“Modernization is a vision to be achieved, but we need to put in place a whole synergy of players and stakeholders from different countries with a wealth of experience,” said Tchicaya Nebert Gilmart Bienvenu, director of cooperation under the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Crafts of the Republic of Congo.
“China has a wealth of experience, and putting it together with that of Africa could produce something interesting, even very interesting,” said the director.
According to Political Analyst-cum-Advocate Novatus Igosha Africa it was again another market opportunities for Tanzania asana example to market its agricultural products and earn foreign direct investments particularly in infrastructures development, diplomatic support of China in multilateral cooperation, where so far in Tanzania that is now leveraging on promoting Kiswahili language in the world arena.
Others in Africa who commented are Alan Khan, senior director of corporate affairs at Durban University of Technology in Durban, South Africa, noting that the summit is expected to strengthen the strategic partnership between Africa and China.
With the African Development Bank estimating that Africa’s need for infrastructure funding is between $130 billion and $170 billion annually, Khan said the FOCAC summit will present an opportunity to address such a challenge.
“China is currently the biggest trading partner with the African continent, and therefore this partnership is highly important for all the involved parties, since these economies are interdependent,” said Khan.
“The summit presents an opportunity to deepen cooperation in areas such as education, infrastructure development, healthcare and technology. We anticipate concrete commitments and action plans that will drive sustainable development and mutual growth.”
As African countries intensify efforts to boost intra-Africa trade, quality infrastructure, such as roads and railways, is needed to support the free movement of goods and support trade on the continent, Khan said.
Therefore, it is likely that the FOCAC summit will prioritize infrastructure development to enhance connectivity between African countries, as well as connectivity between China and Africa as a whole, he added.
“This connectivity is the engine that drives economic growth and feeds into” the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which has drawn the participation of 44 sub-Saharan African countries, Khan said.
The upcoming summit, similar to previous FOCAC meetings, is expected to discuss educational exchanges and research, which will help boost scholarships and collaborative research projects to stimulate innovation and skills development in Africa, he said.
In addition, more cooperation is expected in areas that will boost the sustainable and long-term development of Africa, such as healthcare and green technologies, he said, adding that these priorities are essential for fostering long-term sustainable growth and improving the quality of life across the African continent.
“FOCAC has been highly beneficial in nurturing China-Africa relations,” Khan said. “There have been significant investments in roads, railways and ports that have improved trade and mobility for many African nations.
There have been joint efforts in combating diseases like Ebola and COVID-19, including improving healthcare infrastructure and capacities for some countries in Africa. In terms of people-to-people exchange, important exchange mechanisms and platforms have been established under FOCAC.”
One of the numerous projects supported by FOCAC in Africa is an institute at Durban University of Technology that supports technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, and promotes vocational training that aligns with local needs, he said.
Khan said he also expects that more projects will be established across Africa that will improve inclusive development, benefiting all segments of society, and will align with environmental sustainability goals in order to mitigate climate change impacts on many African countries.
The summit, under the theme of “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future,” aims to create new avenues for solidarity and cooperation, thereby accelerating the shared development of both sides.
The summit explored ways to strengthen friendship and cooperation and to write a new chapter on building a China-African community with a shared future.
As the forum approaches its 25th anniversary next year, it has evolved into an important platform for collective dialogue and an effective mechanism for practical cooperation between China and Africa, built on a solid foundation of friendship, respect, trust, and mutual benefit.
Oliver Bulaya, a prominent advocate of smart agriculture in Zambia, said that under FOCAC, increased Chinese investment and development initiatives have had a significant impact on local communities in the nation over the past two decades.
He said he hopes that future cooperation will focus more on addressing environmental and social challenges for local communities, so that FOCAC can contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive development path for Zambia.
Earlier , speaking with representatives of the Chinese community in Kenya at a meeting on Aug 6, Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s prime cabinet secretary, said the upcoming FOCAC summit will renew practical cooperation with China in a wide range of areas, such as trade and investment, green financing, affordable housing and people-to-people exchanges.
African envoys expect deeper ties with China
For example, African diplomats to Kenya have expressed strong optimism for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit, viewing it as an opportunity to further deepen ties and chart new paths of cooperation toward building a China-Africa community with a shared future.
The diplomats, having toured key Belt and Road Initiative projects in Kenya, including the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, lauded the initiative for transforming the continent’s infrastructure network and consequently boosting economic growth.
Anouar Ben Youssef, Tunisia’s ambassador to Kenya, said the FOCAC summit, scheduled for Sept 4-6 in Beijing, will provide a chance to reaffirm China’s engagement with Africa across various sectors beyond infrastructure
“The summit will also be an opportunity to exchange new views and opportunities for a stronger cooperation between China and Africa,” he said.
Youssef emphasized China’s readiness to support Africa and urged countries across the continent to align their needs with internal development plans.
Many BRI projects in Kenya reflect China’s interest and commitment to help African countries develop in strategic fields such as communications and transport, he said.
Sanyu Manday, counselor at the Uganda High Commission in Kenya, said she expects African countries to propose development projects at the FOCAC summit and hopes China can help explore ways to assist in their implementation.
“For Uganda, we are looking at constructing a Standard Gauge Railway to connect with the Kenyan one to further ease transportation and improve trade,” she said.
Engagement strategy
Damptey Bediako Asare, Ghana’s high commissioner to Kenya, said each African country should go to the FOCAC summit with an understanding of their development needs and a strategy on how they want to engage China.
He said it should be clear to them whether they want to engage China as a continent or individually and whether the African Union should negotiate on behalf of the continent.
“To benefit fully from the BRI, African countries must prepare adequately, understand what they need, understand their development needs and be able to negotiate effectively,” Asare said.
Andrew Sesinyi, Botswana’s high commissioner to Kenya, said not only is China a good friend of Africa, but the level of bilateral cooperation is also on the rise
.“The relationship between China and Africa is not a scenario of a relationship between the wolf and the lamb. It’s a true cooperation based on equity and mutual benefits,” he said.
The BRI projects visited by diplomats in Kenya reflect Africa’s efforts to attract true partners and investors, he said.
“It’s a global village; nobody is going to make it on their own. Whether the developed world or the developing world, we need cooperation,” Sesinyi said.
Zhou Pingjian, Chinese ambassador to Kenya, said through the joint efforts by China and Africa, this year’s FOCAC summit will be a great success.
“The summit will be an event to celebrate China-Africa friendship, explore cooperation and chart the course for the future under the theme of joining hands to advance modernization and build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future,” he said.
