Pretoria - The South African government has confirmed that it is ready to host the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on FOCAC took place in Cape Town on Tuesday to discuss the latest developments pertaining to the programme and logistics of the summit, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said on Wednesday.
In the meeting, members of the IMC were informed that consultations with the co-host, the Chinese government as well as the African member states, continue to take place through diplomatic channels, DIRCO spokesperson Clayson Monyela said.
All logistical arrangements are also in place and the accreditation centres in Pretoria and Johannesburg are now operational.
“In this regard, the IMC expressed confidence that the summit will succeed in its objective to elevate Africa-China relations and ensure mutual benefit and growth, which will result in the betterment of the lives of the peoples of Africa and China,” Monyela said.
The upcoming summit will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 4 - 5 December 2015 under the theme ‘Africa-China Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development’.
The summit will be preceded by a Senior Officials Meeting on 2 December 2015, followed by a ministerial meeting on 3 December 2015.
African Heads of State and government, representatives from the African Union (AU), heads of regional organisations and multilateral organisations will participate in the summit.
Monyela said the programmes for the senior officials meeting, the ministerial meeting, the summit, as well as all the main side events, have been finalised.
“The outcome document of the summit, the Johannesburg Declaration and Action Plan, which will outline specific measures aimed at consolidating the growing mutual partnership between Africa and China, is also in the process of being finalised for further discussion and adoption at the summit.”
The South African government has indicated that the summit will open doors for further China-Africa cooperation while giving impetus to Africa's developmental agenda.
Africa and China will engage and discuss areas of concern including debt relief, science and technology, investment promotion, unemployment - especially among the youth, poverty eradication, water and sanitation, transport, education as well as infrastructure development.
Monyela said Africa takes the summit seriously, which will be a meeting of equal partners and not a donor conference. – SAnews.gov.za
