Ambassadors to China Call for Youth Support of China-Africa Cooperation
BEIJING – As the 2024 Forum on China-AfricaCooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit takes place from September 4th to 6th, ambassadors from several African nations have expressed their hopes for greater youth engagementin the China-Africa partnership. They believe that young people hold the key to fostering a stronger and more sustainable future for both continents.
During interviews with overseasmedia outlets, ambassadors highlighted the importance of the FOCAC summit in addressing critical issues facing Africa, such as industrialization, agricultural modernization, talent development, and supporting startups.
The Eighth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC adopted the DakarAction Plan (2022-2024), and we hope to comprehensively evaluate it during this Beijing Summit, stated Ambassador Tafara Debele Imam of Ethiopia. We aim to summarize our experiences, identify strengths, and pinpointareas for improvement. The summit will also see the adoption of outcome documents like the Action Plan, outlining the path for high-quality cooperation between China and Africa over the next three years. This will provide momentum for the continuation of our friendship. Ambassador Imam emphasized the need to maintain the strength of the Nine Programs of Cooperation initiative.
Ambassador Winfred Hammond of Ghana echoed the sentiment of a more practical approach to addressing African challenges. The 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit will take a more pragmatic approach to tackling the many challenges facing Africa, he said. African nations should bring to the summit their aspirations for collaboration withChina, outlining areas where partnerships can help them achieve self-reliance and contribute to the development of other nations.
Ambassador Elijah George Kayamo of Namibia expressed his hope for a successful summit and a shared vision among young people from both continents. I hope the 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit will be asuccess, he said. We look forward to seeing young people from Africa and China working towards the same goal, learning from the cooperative spirit of the older generation, jointly promoting development, and creating a more prosperous future for our nations.
The ambassadors’ calls for youth engagement come at a time when China and Africa aredeepening their partnership in various sectors. China has been a significant investor in Africa’s infrastructure development, contributing to the continent’s economic growth and social progress. However, there is a growing recognition of the need to involve young people in shaping the future of this partnership.
Young people in Africa are increasingly vocal about theiraspirations for a more equitable and sustainable future. They are demanding greater opportunities for education, employment, and participation in decision-making processes. China, with its own history of rapid development and its commitment to youth empowerment, is well-positioned to support these aspirations.
The FOCAC Beijing Summit offers a platform for bothcontinents to engage in meaningful dialogue and forge new partnerships that benefit young people. By fostering collaboration between young Africans and Chinese, the summit can contribute to a more inclusive and prosperous future for both regions.
The success of the FOCAC Beijing Summit will depend not only on the agreements reached by governments but also on the abilityto inspire and empower the next generation of leaders. The ambassadors’ call for greater youth engagement is a timely reminder that the future of China-Africa cooperation lies in the hands of the young.
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