China-Africa Cooperation Forum Summit to Further Boost Practical Cooperation: Former AU Commission Vice-Chairperson
Nairobi, Kenya – The upcoming 2024China-Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC) summit will further promote practical cooperation between China and Africa in various fields, helping the continent achieve the African Union’sAgenda 2063, according to former Vice-Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Erastus Mwencha.
In an exclusive interview with People’s Daily, Mwencha highlighted the fruitful results of practical cooperation between Africa and China since the establishment of FOCAC in 2000. Bilateral trade has grown steadily, cultural exchanges have become increasingly close, and traditional friendship hasstood the test of time.
My connection with China is deep, Mwencha told the reporter. He frequently visits China and enjoys the country’s people, cities, and cuisine. Riding the high-speed train from Beijing toShanghai gave him a firsthand experience of China’s modern infrastructure, and he always looks forward to his next trip to China.
Mwencha praised China’s remarkable achievements in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, calling it an unprecedented miracle. He believes that China’s success in achieving modernization isdue to its pursuit of a development path suited to its national conditions.
China’s development experience proves that every country should explore a development path that suits its own national conditions, Mwencha said. This is conducive to achieving national prosperity and progress, as well as promoting world peace and stability. Headded that the experiences gained from China’s modernization could provide valuable lessons for African countries.
As a member of the Advisory Committee of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Mwencha believes that China has made significant contributions to promoting regional connectivity through high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Over the past decade,China has played a crucial role in deepening policy communication, accelerating infrastructure connectivity, promoting trade facilitation, fostering financial integration, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges. These efforts have brought tangible benefits to participating countries, promoting their economic and social development.
China has always been a good friend of African countries, helping themcontinuously improve their infrastructure and promote cooperation in areas such as trade, finance, technology, and poverty reduction, Mwencha said. I hope that in the future, the two sides will further explore cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and the digital economy.
Mwencha emphasized that China is a staunch advocatefor multilateralism. He believes that the world currently faces numerous common challenges, including climate change, regional conflicts, and development deficits. China’s Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative are timely and relevant. China is actively cooperating with all parties to promote ceasefire and peace in relevant regions, making significantcontributions to world peace and development.
In 2023, the African Union was invited to become a formal member of the G20. Mwencha expressed gratitude for China’s support and said that the African Union and China, through strengthened cooperation, will play a greater role in global governance.
The upcoming FOCAC summit is expected to further strengthen the China-Africa partnership and pave the way for a more prosperous and sustainable future for both sides.
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