President Xi Jinping made the announcement on Friday to rousing applause from an audience that included South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and African Union Commission Chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Advertisement
Zuma said that FOCAC was formed in 2000 few years after the collapse of apartheid regime in South Africa.
President Xi was able to address “most concerns and worries of African states around their relationship with China and what China is bringing to the table”.
The summit, in which over 50 African countries are participating, is also expected to unveil the contours of China’s security partnership with Africa, focused on counter-terrorism, peacekeeping and funding to train troops within the framework of the African Union (AU).
“Indeed President Xi did not elaborate on any of the specific projects, but we hope that in the future we will make some follow up actions and specify on the projects”, said Zhong – former Chinese ambassador to South Africa. The Chinese president said billions would go toward the smooth implementation of infrastructure projects, aid for drought-stricken countries and thousands of scholarships for African students. “The frequent political exchanges and dialogue between the two sides have provided further guidance for China-Africa cooperation”.
Mr. Wang, the foreign minister, has pointed out that China and Africa will “strengthen cooperation in fighting terrorism and extremism” – a decision that has been steeled following the recent killing on three Chinese engineers and technicians in Mali.
Its investments in Africa amounted to $32.4 billion at the end of 2014, according to London-based BMI Research.
Mugabe, whose government signed 10 economic accords with China this week including on expanding Zimbabwe’s largest thermal power plant, praised Beijing’s role in Africa, contrasting it favourably with that of Western nations.
“China stands ready to take an active part in Africa’s effort in capacity building for maintaining and strengthening peace and support Africa and its endeavours to speed up development, eradicate poverty and realise durable peace”, said Jinping. A country which never was our colonizer.
She said China’s measures in supporting Africa development as announced answered the expectation of African countries in a win-win situation.
“Here is a man representing our continent; what he is doing for us is what the people that colonized us yesterday should have done”.
Advertisement
African countries were expected to push for loan moratoriums following the weakening of metal and crude prices which has hit their currencies.
