Pretoria – The Ministerial Meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has commenced in the capital.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi are co-chairing the meeting, which is the precursor to the historic meeting of the world’s biggest economy, China, with the rising African continent.
The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) leaders’ summit kicks off in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Friday.
It has been described as a milestone and historic event, which will usher in a new era for the development of China–Africa relations, especially on the economic front.
The two sides are pushing for a win-win co-operation and common development, hence the theme of the summit ‘Africa-China Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development’.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane said FOCAC has attracted about 50 Heads of State. In a media morning session ahead of the summit, the Minister described the summit as a historic moment that will help the two sides introspect on the state and future of their relations.
“It is a realisation that the people of the south working together, we can do much more,” she said.
FOCAC was established in 2000 as a multilateral platform for exchange and cooperation between China and African countries that have formal diplomatic relationships with China, and covers various aspects of politics, trade, economy, society and culture.
Through cooperation in FOCAC, trade volume between China and Africa has soared from US$10 million to US$220 billion in 15 years.
During the same period, China’s direct investment in Africa has sharply increased from US$500 million to US$30 billion.
There are more than 3 000 Chinese companies running their businesses in Africa, according to official statistics.
The Minister commended China for not dictating to Africa. She said the continent is seeing the real benefits of South–South cooperation.
“They [China] focus on what is in line with what we want to achieve as the African Union development Agenda 2063.”
What Africa would like to see going forward, Minister Nkoana-Mashabane said, was the relationship growing to new heights, a view that was shared by other Ministers on the continent.
Industrialising Africa
Africa also wants the relationship with China to give more impetus to industrialisation, which is closely linked to infrastructure development and job creation.
This is because the continent feels that while it has experienced sustained economic growth above 5% over the last decade - with some countries above 7% - the contribution from industrialisation was minimal.
Industrialisation has been identified as a precondition for Africa to achieve inclusive economic growth.
Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told SAnews that African countries need to diversify commodities and speed up industrialisation.
“The products that we export should not just be raw materials … (We) should also be able to send products that add value, hence the industrial part of the cooperation with China is very important.”
Ethiopia's laudable pace towards industrialisation has been commended by several internationally renowned scholars and institutions, which is turning their economy around.
Asked what lessons other African countries can learn from Ethiopia’s industrialisation, Minister Ghebreyesus said every country has good lessons and best practices.
African governments, he said, must place credible industrial policies at the centre of their macroeconomic strategies if countries are to achieve growth that is inclusive.
“What I would recommend is why not (pool) best practices and all of us use from the (pooled) best practices?” he said.
Minister Ghebreyesus said developing countries required unquestionable will and commitment from leaders.
“Technically we are ok and if we have a strong political leadership and will, everything else falls into place,” he said.
Analysists have also indicated that Africa is on the right track as the continent has higher levels of education, knowledge and value addition than countries in South East Asia had before industrialisation took off.
Minister Ghebreyesus’s views on industrialisation were also shared by a representative from South Sudan.
“If industrialisation is not realised, then the win–win partnership we want cannot be achieved,” he said, calling for the “right policy frameworks” to support this.
China has indicted that it will use the FOCAC Summit to push for more initiatives that would further promote industrialisation and development of the African continent as a whole.
Other countries like Nigeria, Angola, Zambia, Guinea and Namibia commended the role the Chinese government is playing in the development of their countries, from infrastructure investments in rail, ports, roads, hospitals and schools as well as skills development.
One such company that is reaping the rewards of Chinese cooperation in skills development is South Africa’s GREE Air Conditioners.
The company’s Managing Director, Ria Ledwaba, said with the help of the Chinese, they have been able to open an academy that skills youth in energy saving products and skills development.
Chinese companies working in the continent, however, raised concerns about the language barrier as well as cultural differences, a gap that the Chinese government is trying to bridge with cultural exchanges. - SAnews.gov.za
