By More Matshediso
Pretoria - African Union (AU) leaders say they are satisfied with progress made by the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) since its inception 15 years ago.
They remain hopeful that the collaboration of African countries and China will produce the desired economic and development results in future, which will improve the lives of African citizens.
Addressing the opening session of the FOCAC Summit held in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Friday, AU Chairperson and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said China and Africa’s relations have grown tremendously.
“China has become Africa’s premier investor and trading partner,” he said.
China wants trade to be scaled up to US$400 billion by 2020 from US$220 billion in 2014.
President Mugabe said Africa-China relations go much deeper than extraction of resources.
“We are committed to strengthen the current and multifaceted, multidimensional relations between African countries and China.”
He said the summit celebrates a milestone in the evolution of the platform on China-Africa cooperation. He commended efforts by FOCAC to deepen institutional ties with regional bodies such as the AU and its structures, as well as the African Development Bank.
President Mugabe believed that the deliberations in Johannesburg will emphasise the interdependence of Africa and China.
The Chairperson of the AU Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, said when China and Africa work together, they can overcome challenges that face humanity such as poverty and the exclusion of Africa in the United Nations Security Council.
She said there is a need to enhance political dialogue between Africa and China and promote cultural exchange and tourism.
Dlamini Zuma said industrialisation is a requisite centre piece in the win-win collaboration and friendship that Africa has with China.
“Using our comparative advantages, we must work together in promoting key enabling sectors. There is a need for us to beneficiate our mineral and natural resources to create jobs for our young population.
“It is clear from China’s experience that it is indeed possible to modernise and develop rapidly following an endogenous part of development,” said Dlamini-Zuma.
She said the summit represents the hopes and aspirations of about 2.5 billion members of humanity, and through Agenda 2063, Africans will see an Africa that is integrated, prosperous and peaceful, driven by its citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.
“We take into account that Africa has a young population in an aging world. By 2050 it will have the biggest labour force in the world,” said Dlamini-Zuma.
Africa currently spends $80 billion annually on food imports. Dlamini Zuma said working together, Africa and China can ensure that Africa becomes self-sufficient in food supply by modernising agriculture, increasing productivity, engaging communities and farmers in a full value chain, including agro-processing and agri-business.
With regard to skills development, Dlamini Zuma said the cooperation must focus on science, technology, engineering and maths as they are critical in supporting youth entrepreneurship, employment and innovation.
“We must also continue to work together to develop and improve our health systems in Africa,” she said.
Dlamini Zuma expressed gratitude to China for its timely response to the Ebola outbreak in African countries, and its cooperation with the AU towards the operationalisation of the African Centre for Disease Control. - SAnews.gov.za
