FOCAC Solemn Opening : Building Trust To Foster Development

A remarkable presence of African Heads of State, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat and leaders of international organisations including the Secretary-General of the United Nations Organisation, Antonio Guterres joined the President of China, Xi Jinping on Thursday 5 September, 2024 for the solemn opening of the 4th Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Conference (FOCAC). President Paul Biya who arrived in the Chinese capital, Beijing a day earlier accompanied by his wife, Chantal Biya and some members of government took an active part at the opening ceremony of the event at the Great Hall of the People. In all, 51 Heads of State and Government as well as two presidential representatives answered present at the occasion.

Apart from the keynote speech delivered by President Xi Jinping, there were remarks by the Secretary-General of the UN and that of the outgoing President of FOCAC, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal. Mounting the rostrum in a highly applauded speech and in a 10-point partnership platform, the Chinese leader gave what looked like a summary of the different deals China has reached with the various African Presidents in the course of bilateral talks prior to the official opening of the conference. He announced that: “China is ready to deepen cooperation with African countries in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment,” pointing out that: “Over the next three years, the Chinese government is willing to provide financial support amounting to 360 billion Yuan (US dollar 50.7 billion).” Detailing the funding, he said over half of it will be in credit, with $11 billion “in various types of assistance” as well as 10 billion US dollars through encouraging Chinese firms to invest in Africa. He also promised to help “create at least one million jobs for Africa” and qualified relations with Africa as in their «best period in history».

China as the world’s number two economy, is Africa’s leading trading partner and has within the past 24 years of FOCAC interactions with the continent contributed in infrastructural development. Sectors concerned span through roads, railways, hospitals, sea port construction, football stadiums, military training and so on. Emphasis has also been on encouraging interactions between peoples from both continents in what the Chinese authorities call peopleto-people mutually-beneficial relationships in a shared future. China has in turn sought to tap from the vast deposits of natural resources in Africa such as copper, gold, lithium, timber and other rare earth minerals....