Beijing, 2 September 2024 (TI): Several African leaders have arrived in Beijing to participate in the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), scheduled to take place from Wednesday to Friday.
Analysts from both China and Africa have expressed optimism that the summit will inject fresh impetus into global economic recovery and serve as a model for South-South cooperation.
Leaders including Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, and arrived in Beijing over the weekend to attend the FOCAC Summit. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, Comoros President Azali Assoumani, and Mali’s transitional president Assimi Goita are also attending the event.
The summit is expected to be a significant diplomatic gathering, bringing together Chinese and African leaders, representatives of regional and international organizations, business leaders, scholars, and young people.
The event aims to strengthen high-quality cooperation among Global South nations at a time when the world is undergoing profound changes and turbulence.
Speaking at a media briefing on the 2024 FOCAC Summit on August 23, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong said, “The leaders of China and Africa will discuss major cooperation strategies, explore cooperation plans together, and strengthen exchanges on state governance.”
New Cooperation initiatives
Chen added that the summit would introduce several new cooperation initiatives to foster mutual understanding, respect, and closer ties between the people of China and Africa, ensuring that the China-Africa friendship continues to thrive for future generations.
The FOCAC includes 53 African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China and the African Union Commission.
He Wenping, a director at the Institute of West Asian and African Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, remarked that this year’s FOCAC summit would elevate China-Africa cooperation to new levels.
“It’s likely we will see China and African countries boosting cooperation in new areas like the digital economy and green development based on existing infrastructure,” she said.
Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, noted that the world is currently experiencing profound change and uncertainty, posing serious challenges to globalization and economic recovery.
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“China and African countries, as developing nations, share common interests and support the multipolarization of the world while building a community with a shared future for mankind,” he stated.
Li further emphasized that the summit would send a strong message not only to China and Africa but also to the entire Global South and the rest of the world, demonstrating successful cooperation among Global South countries with global significance.
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