Tag: FOCAC

FOCAC 2024: Tracing the origins of constructive China-Africa Cooperation

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By Ernest Jovan Talwana

Since 2000, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has been a constructive multilateral platform for China and African countries to conduct symbiotic cooperation. Let us trace the origins of this forum, which is most certainly one of the most consequential summits for African states as far as addressing pertinent challenges, and opening doors to our individual and collective development is concerned.

Following centuries of mutual cooperation, FOCAC was established jointly between African nations and China as a high-level Sino-African relations mechanism at the beginning of the 21st century.  FOCAC sits on a strong foundation of organic relations, unadulterated by the imperialistic undue influence of China over Africa, unlike Western powers.

When China opened up in 1978 under Deng Xiaoping, it experienced one of the fastest levels of economic development ever registered in human history.

It was thus ripe to venture more exponentially into Africa by the early 1990s. By mid 90s the Chinese economy had sufficiently matured and could afford to extend subsidized concessional loans to enable Chinese businesses to compete in the African market. Around the same time, the Chinese leader then, Jiang Zemin visited half a dozen African countries and made a speech at the headquarters of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), articulating a five-point proposal for the development of “a 21st century-oriented long-term stable China-Africa relationship of all-round cooperation.”

Recovering from the Cold War bickering among Western powers, a number of African countries took the initiative to propose the establishment of a form of China-Africa multilateral cooperation. They had experienced cooperation with other foreign countries for long without any practical, tangible benefits, and had also grown weary of lectures on governance from their former colonial masters and oppressors.  On the other hand, African nationalists in various countries had been supported by comrade Mao Zedong and the Chinese people to fight against Western imperialism during the struggle for independence. China had also emerged as a towering example of transformative leadership which saw them beat centuries of industrial development in less than fifty years. As such, their development experience was most inspiring for poor, agrarian African economies. Many African countries therefore started looking forward to joint development with China, hoping to turn the scales at home too.

When some African countries put up a proposal to China asking for a cooperation mechanism, China responded by organising a conference that would value African countries’ wishes, consider the unique political economy in Africa, focus on practical results, and strive for joint development. It thus invited foreign ministers or ministerial officials in charge of international cooperation or economic affairs to the conference in 1999.

At the conference which was popularly attended by African leaders, the working documents agreed on reflected nuanced differences between the FOCAC and other international mechanisms for cooperation with Africa. The FOCAC document put a high premium on the opinions of African countries, for the first time respecting the kind of development support Africans deemed for themselves, unlike the previous dictates they would get from Western similar mechanisms. There was also a deliberate effort to ensure that there were realistic execution mechanisms to achieve practical results from the initiatives discussed at the conference.

This inaugural conference held in 2000 in Beijing led to the adoption of the Beijing Declaration of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Program for China-Africa Cooperation in Economic and Social Development. This was the first step on a long journey of establishing a stable partnership of equality and mutual benefits in the 21st century between the two parties.

It is now already 24 years down the road since that step was taken. Within that time, several African countries have doubled their trade volumes with China. Africans now trade more with China than all Western countries combined. A number of them have also experienced a steady growth of the economy, including Uganda which has grown at a rate of 6 per cent per annum for over a decade.

This transformation has been partly aided by initiatives agreed upon in the different FOCAC summits. For instance, China has over the years relieved the outstanding debts of African governments, and also issued interest-free loans to avail them of long-term development finance. It has also trained the African human resources, helping African countries improve their communication infrastructure by education engineers, as well as training experts in other fields such as education and health.

If there is anything to learn from the FOCAC 2024 Summit, it is that there is a deepening relationship between China and African countries. This relationship is healthy because of its unique characteristics mutual benefit, mutual respect, and a sense of shared prosperity and a common future. This has set an irrevocable trend in partnership. The practicality of results from this relationship raises the bar high for Western development partners who are constantly involved in self-righteous lectures on how Africans should govern themselves.

The writer is a research fellow at the Development Watch Center.

Xi Jinping’s Call for a Win-Win Partnerships Should Be The Basis For Modern Diplomacy

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By Alan Collins Mpewo,

The speech by His Excellence Xi Jinping as the keynote address during the just concluded opening of the 9th FOCAC Ministerial Conference was timely. The contents came at a time when the world is in times fragile relations among countries. The globalisation agenda in the early stages of the FOCAC’s formation were equally timely because it set a pace for the foundation of the recent FOCAC Ministerial Conference. As the practice, congratulatory remarks were delivered before recalling the lengthy but worthwhile journey thus far, for the member states. Of all said and done regarding the achievements, the migration to green technology and financing has been the greatest for attention. The world grapples with managing carbon emissions versus survival which is equally essential especially for industrial output much of which goes to domestic consumption.

Ultimately the major goal of the FOCAC was to enable a cross continent partnership but with it had to come great compromise. The Western model has for decades now been contested and formation of global partnership platforms like FOCAC come off as inevitable protest. Emphasis has always been on finding alternatives to the Western model which is one for mutual respect and benefits. In the keynote speech, China understands the balance required and it’s not a surprise that FOCAC membership has grown steadily over the years. The forecast is now enhancing partnership to more factors such as global security, peace and independence. Interesting, about 98% of the FOCAC members are former colonies for most Western world countries who have consistently come off as providing help and support, but with a tricky often unsaid but publicly known secret of underlying strings attached.

China understands that next FOCAC agenda is going to be a determining one because of the threats to thriving that have showcased themselves. Intermeddling at the highest stage of the United States has been reported overtime and most countries shun away from some resolutions because of the believed bias and prejudice in decision making. Then comes the IMF policies regarding funding and other such financial and political wings. Today, China and Africa are saying ‘No’ to some bully tendencies while aware of the prevailing consequences. Empowerment of all partner states versus the dependency syndrome was highlighted in many words of explanation, and it goes to show the cognisance of global affairs. FOCAC continues to seek scheme a way through global politics to reexamine state independence on the world center stage of diplomacy. As at the end of the 9th FOCAC Ministerial Conference, the deals and partnerships struck among the various partners were numerous and more will be reported as time passes compared to the Western model of winner takes it all.

The win-win value has constantly been noted as the most efficient and sustainable in the present world because of the enormous forces of independent thought and recall of histories that sparked antagonisms that accounted for great losses of life and livelihoods. For yet another historic time in FOCAC history, the globalisation agenda has included Africa’s interests with the World Bank, the 2063 Africa Union agenda, the World Trade Organization interests, and others alike. Africa has persevered with challenges of connectivity and as resounding, the belt and road initiative is still ongoing, to complement AU’s 2063 agenda of modernisation part of which looks at easing cross border cooperation, travel, and exchange of goods and services. Currently, there is still a challenge in realising these because of (but not limited to) regional conflicts which in most cases have a blessing from Western powers. Regional destabilisation of select countries’ internal politics is a tool that has been proved to be working in some colonies.

Because of the foregoing, a new entrant to extended attention is the partnership to security and peace. Xi Jinping’s China understands that there cannot be proper drivers of the modernisation agenda and with a shared future with raging conflicts. Therefore, the next phase for FOCAC will be on high alert to possible ending of conflict in member states because that wouldn’t serve any achievement to the FOCAC resolutions. It is a beacon of hope for the people that live in FOCAC’s member states because they rank highest among the priorities of the 9th FOCAC Ministerial Conference. Shared cultures, tolerance for diversities, exploitation of science and technologies, exchange programs in education and pedagogy, enhancement of industrialisation and trade, development in agriculture, peace and security, and green development.

As a highlight, the word partnership came up most times, and it is one of the most cited key words signalling the foundation and identity of the diplomacy being exhibited by China and Africa. There cannot be any doubt that what will be achieved in the next chapter will as shall be noted in the next FOCAC Ministerial Conference, be victory in achieving the action points of the adopted declaration of the 9th FOCAC Ministerial Conference.

The writer is a Senior Research Fellow at the Development Watch Center

9th FOCAC summit: A Further Demonstration of China’s commitment to Shared prosperity

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By George Musiime

This year’s Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FoCAC) summit in Beijing further underscored China’s commitment to shared prosperity. This message  was driven home through the keynote address of president Xi Jinping at the opening of the FoCAC summit earlier this month. In his speech, president Xi emphasised multiple  key areas for China-Africa cooperation over the next three years. These included; agriculture, health, development and livelihood, green development, security et cetera. Moreover, all of these areas were in perfect alignment with the Africa’s aspiration of becoming a global powerhouse. And not just that, but also, they  tied in well with the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063.

Central to the agenda for China-Africa cooperation set at the 2024 FOCAC in Beijing was building on past achievements of  this friendship. China-Africa cooperation  has already been addressing strategic challenges on the continent  including infrastructure, industrialisation, food security, health, security etcetera. Moreover, many of these challenges have for long been bottlenecks in the continent’s pursuit of modernisation. Indeed these challenges needed addressing like yesterday. China through its cooperation with Africa   has thus become a trailblazer in giving this much needed attention to these Cinderella-continental challenges. Therefore, President Xi’s address  backed by China’s pledge of 360-billion-yuan in financial support was a sign of China’s commitment not only to driving shared prosperity but also building mutually beneficial and transformative China-Africa cooperation. Thus the agenda for China-Africa Cooperation set at the 2024 FOCAC is important not only because China and Africa account for one-third of the world’s population. It is also extremely important to Africa and particularly sub-Saharan Africa; a continent that is home to about 60% of global poverty.

Different scholars have tried to explain why China-African Cooperation has been on the rise over the years. Among them is  Gyude Moore, a fellow at the Centre for Global Development. He explains China’s growing foothold in Africa by juxtaposing the western view of Africa with that of China. He contends that whereas the west views Africa as a problem needing to be solved,  China perceived the continent as a place of enormous potential and opportunity. Hence, this and  an appreciation of Africa’s place on the global stage is what informs our dealings and forms the bedrock of China-Africa cooperation .

Conversely , he contrasts this view with  the Western view where Africa is seen as a problem needing a solution and a partner of lesser significance. This has also become a foundation for the preference of interference over intervention. It is this divergence of perception that he contends accounts for growing willingness by Africa to work with China. Even more important, China’s engagement with Africa is not  imposed on Africa. Instead it is  the outcome of aligned aspirations, interests and mutual friendship between the two partners. According to Mr. Moore, other than view Africa through a Rudyard Kipling lens of the “white man’s burden,”   China chooses to view Africa as an equal partner. Indeed, other than exploit the opportunity for unilateral gain, China also works towards a mutually beneficial partnership with Africa.

In his address at the FOCAC summit, president Xi committed to 100% no-tariff treatment to imports from 33 African countries. In light of mutually beneficial cooperation, there is no better display of reciprocity than this. This is a practical move towards turning China’s big market into Africa’s big opportunity. Indeed, it would  also positively impact on  Africa’s participation in global trade. Therefore commitments under the action for trade and prosperity present  huge prospects for Africa and make China the first to make such a commitment.

Relatedly, regarding the Global Security Initiative, the 9th FOCAC summit committed to partnership for common security. This is rooted deeply in China’s strong belief that common prosperity cannot occur in the absence of common peace and security. Indeed one of the major huddles on Africa’s road to progress has forever been peace  and security or the lack thereof. Realising the significant gains under the BRI cooperation, guaranteeing that progress has become top of our list of most important objectives.  In a world where security is a critical ingredient in development,  the commitment of one-billion yuan in military grants, training for 6000 army, and 1000 police and law enforcement officers and exchanges will help to build capacity for peace and  security on the continent. This will in turn fine-tune our capacity for modernisation as a continent.

Most importantly, we can not ignore the reality of  today’s world; the growing competition between the West and China. While this might seem to create options, it also creates a need for Africa to evaluate outcomes and potential for outcomes alike. A wise word from Xi Zhongxun during the reform period was that words alone will not help our people . This is something that President Xi and China understands  very well till today . Indeed there’s already visible and quantifiable benefits of China-Africa Cooperation all across the continent. Moreover the president’s keynote address made more than promises. It went as far as committing   funds for the different  action areas of China-Africa cooperation over the next 3 years.

Thus, from Africa looking inwards, president Xi Jinping’s keynote addressing at the 2024 was the blueprint for strengthening the thriving China Africa-friendship. It was Proof of how seriously china takes it cooperation with Africa. This agenda for China-Africa Cooperation will be the bridge that brings us yet another step closer to a modernised Africa, our aspirations as a continent and a better and more beneficial China-Africa.

The writer is a research fellow at the Sino-Uganda Research Centre

Speak and Place: Where Does President Xi Jinping’s Speech at the 2024 FOCAC Summit Put Africa?

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By Ssemanda Abdurahim

In his book, Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity, Abraham Joshua Heschel remarks that “Words Create Worlds.” By far to moralists, this is not a fallacy. When we speak, we create, and in our creations, we place or put something new somewhere in a place. As a result, it is indisputable that President Xi Jinping’s speech at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit held in Beijing on 5th September 2024, has a huge implication on Africa and it clearly points out his position and Africa’s position in FOCAC. In this article therefore, I am going to analyse what it actually means for Africa to be in this cooperation and where the cooperation places Africa in relation to President Xi’s speech.

In his keynote address,  the President of the People’s Republic of China remarked that; “as we are about to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, we are going all out to build a great modern socialist country in all respects and pursue national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. Africa is also awakening again, and the continent is marching in solid strides toward the modernisation goals set forth in the AU’s Agenda 2063.” By reference to AU’s Agenda 2063, it clearly indicates that China is purely cognisant of the goals set by Africans in order to achieve development for Africans. This therefore tells us that China willingness to work with African countries to realise their potential is genuine and purely driven by China’s wish to support building a community of shared future for mankind. It means, as a former colony which like African countries suffered injustices of colonial masters, China just chips in to help African countries realise their development goals. Thus, Beijing doesn’t do it by interfering in African affairs but rather, shared developmental ideas, at times funds and leaving final decisions to be taken by African governments.

By this, President Xi clearly indicates that amity, and respect for each other,  is a core value in the cooperation between China and Africa. He shows us that even when there is a need to adopt the means of development just as the Chinese Path to Modernity, it should be an incorporation and blending of African thoughts alongside Chinese thoughts. Put differently, China respects the decisions of African governments, their rights and values. For such, indeed it is an ideal cooperation that Africa has lacked.

With this approach, China excels as the best country ever to cooperate with Africa as far as development is concerned. This is simply because, it makes China to perfectly fit in the analogy of a good curriculum developer who has thoroughly understood what is the problem (The problem or need for Africa), who is facing the problem (Characteristics and the needs of Africans), the intended outcomes or what will the Africans be able to do, the important and relevant means, and ways or methods through which the desired goals can be achieved. Whereas one might argue that China will not do different things to help Africa achieve modernisation and development, another one can argue that it is differently doing those obvious things like funding projects. However, Africa’s problem has always been who it cooperates with. Most of the countries especially those in the West have failed to understand and respect Africa’s and the demands of Africans. However, President Xi’s speech signals a lot of awareness and respect for Africa as far as this cooperation is concerned.

For instance, in a move to promote modernisation, President Xi argued that; We should jointly advance modernisation that is just and equitable. In promoting modernisation, we should not only follow the general rules, but also act in light of our national realities. China is ready to increase exchanges of governance experience with Africa, support all countries in exploring modernisation paths befitting their national conditions, and help ensure equal rights and equal opportunities for all countries. His choice of words clearly indicates that Africa will not be thought and decided for but rather, decisions of modernising Africa shall come on a round table. By this, problems of some powers pretending to know us (Africans) better than we know ourselves shall be solved with the shift to China.

Furthermore, President Xi called for the advancement of modernisation that puts the people first. In this call, he remarked that the ultimate goal of modernisation is the free and full development of human beings. He talked about how China would work vigorously with Africa to promote personnel training, poverty reduction and employment, focused on enhancing the sense of gain, happiness and security of the people in the course of modernisation, and ensure that all will benefit from the process. The concept of personnel training alone shows how China aims at training the Africans to catch the fish themselves rather than giving them the fish. This predictably signals a country with which Africa is cooperating that aims at equipping people with skills of sustaining themselves rather than relying on foreign help and support. To any careful observer, one can clearly see that China is helping Africans to realize that it is possible to stand alone without depending on other powers, especially those we look at as developed countries. This is an idea that the West cannot stand doing for Africans.

The visionary President of China further remarked that China and Africa account for one-third of the world population. Without our modernisation, there will be no global modernisation. In the next three years, China will work with Africa to take the following ten partnership actions for modernisation to deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernisation. Any person who would have a reason to doubt China’s authenticity as far as cooperating with Africa is concerned now has all the reasons to believe that China is the right country to cooperate with. The president stressed issues that are meant to help the cooperation stand for centuries ahead rather than being focused on how the cooperation would benefit China.

In conclusion, President Xi’s speech clearly places Africa at the forefront of development and clearly reassures Africa that it has got a genuine escort on her journey to development. President Xi’s frequent use of the first person plural pronoun (we) also vividly shows that Africa has got a companion and a brother who understands Africa’s challenges and is willing to help her sail through. The speech emphasises harmonious cooperation full of respect for culture and values of Africa and its people with harmony being a central pillar in achieving the desired goals.

Ssemanda Abdurahim is a research fellow at the Sino-Uganda Research Centre

 

FOCAC: Understanding China-Africa Areas of Cooperation

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By Ernest Jovan Talwana

The Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is the official multi-lateral cooperation mechanism within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) between several African countries and China. Each FOCAC summit usually results in a three-year action plan, with activities agreed on to be implemented bilaterally between China and individual African Countries and with China pledging support for African countries in several areas of cooperation. Let’s understand the various sectors of cooperation encompassed in this year’s summit, which happened on Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 – Friday, Sep 6, 2024.

Differently put, one may wonder what is in it for Africa? African countries have various individual and collective development goals which they pursue when they go to the FOCAC meetings. This year, those goals are encapsulated in a number of highlighted commitments between China and African nations to realize mutual cooperation, economic growth and sustainable development. These areas include Mutual learning among civilisations; Trade prosperity; Industrial chain cooperation; Connectivity; Development cooperation; Health; Agriculture and livelihoods; People-to-people exchanges; Green development and lastly Common security.

FOCAC is a critical platform for China-Africa cooperation because of its unique consideration for supporting the Global South’s priorities. In this, it offers an alternative to the restrictive, arrogant, talk-down kinds of aid dependency that African states had endured for decades under the patronage of Western-Bretton Woods institutions like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. With FOCAC, African leaders can now negotiate mutually beneficial agreements with China in a manner never precedented in history.

Cooperating on common security

No development can happen in a state of insecurity. African countries have been tied back from the course of development because many spend great attention, resources and time while fighting civil wars, terrorism and against Western imperialism. This state of chronic insecurity affects their ability to concentrate on infrastructural development and modernisation while the rest of the world is advancing. China under FOCAC promised to give Africa $140.5M in military assistance. Additionally, Comrade Xi Jinping committed to having training programs, and joint military exercises to create a “mine-free Africa” in order to the safety of people working on developmental infrastructure projects. This is a solid guarantee of peace and security to Africa to set off on its modernisation agendas.

Deepening Industrial Cooperation

Development cannot happen without industrialisation. African economies are currently largely importers of foreign goods which leads to a haemophilic drainage of their foreign reserves due to spending the little they have on buying external goods. To end this parasitic bleeding of African economies, China will support the construction of industrial clusters in Africa to empower Africans to engineer their own products and become industrially self-reliant. It also promised to build a technology cooperation center with 20 digital demonstration projects in Africa.

Providing opportunities for Trade prosperity

About 33 African countries stand to gain from China’s zero-tariff policy. This is good because many less developed countries especially in Africa lack sufficient capacity to trade with rich countries like China due to tariff barriers. Therefore, a zero-tariff policy will not only open China’s market further but also create an opportunity for African states to sell to the Chinese huge market.

Supporting Connectivity

China is already Africa’s biggest infrastructural development financer. Over 100,000 kilometres of road networks and expressways have been built in Africa with Chinese support in order to have connectivity. Additionally, bridges, hydropower dams, railway lines and ports have been built in China. To this, the FOCAC summit came with more promises by China to work on 30 infrastructure projects in Africa. This will further deepen our mutual Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation.

Cooperating in building robust Public Health

Africa is highly a disease-ridden continent, which puts a heavy burden on our national budgets and eats away at our developmental budget. Poor public health systems also render millions of Africans an economically unproductive constituency of their governments, while at the same time collapsing the public wallet because of the health expenditures. China will build more hospitals under the China-Africa hospital alliance to provide health care to Africans. It will also support us with over 2,000 medical personnel in addition to investing in Africa’s pharmaceutical production. This will go a long way in strengthening public health systems on the continent.

Promoting Agriculture and improving livelihoods

China promises financial support in food assistance as well as building agricultural demonstration areas and sending experts and creating jobs through joint ventures with African entrepreneurs. Some of these projects are already running, and Uganda is one of the exemplary beneficiaries with a robust rice farming scheme supported by China in Butalejja district.

Cooperating on Green development

As the world weans itself off of crude oil due to its deleterious effect on the climate, China is poised to implement 30 clean energy projects in Africa and also support the protection of our rich biodiversity. FOCAC also earned us cooperation on nuclear technology and space exploration, fields which are key to our energy needs and communication.

Promoting People-to-people exchanges

China promised to enable the growth of vocational education in Africa by offering training opportunities for our youth to learn hands-on skills they can use to build industrial products. This is a very constructive area of collaboration since it is where Chinese excellence is – in a large population of skilled people with hands-on capabilities.

In conclusion, there are a lot of opportunities that we look forward to harness from the concluded FOCAC summit. Many commitments and promises were made. It is now time for work to utilise the goodwill China has shown us over the years. Our previous dealings with China have proved that it is a reliable development partner which is keen on real results and practical cooperation. As such, its promises can be banked on.

The writer is a research fellow at the Sino-Uganda Research Center.

 

 

The 9th FOCAC Ministterial Confrence: China and Africa Are Now Looking Beyond Economics, Focusing on A Composite Shared Future

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By Mpewo Alan Collins

The just concluded Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) gave a new picture of how we should view FOCAC. The confrence laid a groundwork for the just concluded 2024 FOCAC Beijing summit attracted foreign and economic ministers from 53 African member countries, and representatives of the African Union and other regional and international organizations were among more than 300 attendees of the meeting.

This confrence has held a long standing life since the year 2000, when it came to life. The partner states meet in the FOCAC confrence after every 3 years of holding a similar gathering, a tradition until now, that has been maintained registering this year’s as the 9th FOCAC Ministerial Conference.

Because of the growing changes in the international relations environment, China and Africa Continent countries but Eswatini found it fitting in their wisdom to come up with the idea of a coalition where they would keep looking out for the best for their citizens while enhancing multi border cooperation. The FOCAC bases on two major standing values to wit, ‘Mutual Respect’ and ‘Mutual Benefit’. It goes without saying that succeeding the relations among major superpowers of the mid and late 1990’s, China and Africa appreciate a change in direction as regards international cooperation to which, the FOCAC was birthed as a pilot idea, interesting enough, that today its profile of successes and ideals are becoming a model for China’s and Africa’s rivals to emulate.

As all good things, the FOCAC has over the years registered new states joining to also take part in the benefits that come with association. The 9th FOCAC Ministerial Conference is under the theme ‘Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future’. As before, the focus is to build more for the future having significantly realized the 8th FOCAC Ministerial Conference action points. The attention is therefore on extensive focus on modernization as by all standards should be.

But amidst the events that occasioned the success of the conference, the greatest attention snatcher was the Beijing Declaration on Jointly Building an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future for the New Era. The declaration was adopted by attendant FOCAC members, and the letter and spirit of each declaration clause gets interesting as to what it speaks to. Three key extracts being international security and human rights; science; and sustainable globalization. In this the African Union and United Nations agendas have been factored in. China has resounded its commitment to an Africa that’s empowered to ending Western power financial trapping into unconscionable interest loans and extended solidarity for the 2026 World Trade Organization conference that will take place on the African continent. The financial independence that understands the balance in negotiation for a win-win situation has never been neglected, and as sustainable globalization became something of concern, the FOCAC members are continuously focusing on materializing it.

These commitments and more come at a time of a fragile international environment (economically and socio-politically) to which major superpowers keep finding their way to a strategic position of leading the apex. Many global powers have made their work plan known over and over again, locking arms topping the list, the consequences of which are forever regrettable. China has maintained course for partnerships with every possible global member and it doesn’t come off as shocking that it is a leading economic superpower in recent decades. Africa stands strategically in the global agenda especially on major subjects such as climate change, global industrialization, and maintaining economic dominance. It is of less wonder therefore that major superpowers keep finding ways of penetrating the continent, but telling enough, is the modus operandi.

Africa member states have a trigger to leverage on now that the First Ten Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063 was implemented. The Second Ten Year plan having been launched, the implementation phase is going to detailing because of the much work that will be required by the members. Green financing is something the FOCAC members should look closely to especially in the extensive Belt and Road Initiative program to account for their contribution to the Paris Agreement net zero agenda. Now than before, the FOCAC members are more resolute partly because the 9th FOCAC Ministerial Conference came succeeding major events like the Non-Allied Members Conference where equally important pillars of global security and human rights were a topic of importance.

The economy wheel has maintained Its face but with rejuvenation on the conversation of deeper penetration of markets in China. China has without a doubt extended its influence in industrialization and product accessibility in the African markets, but what has been a constant struggle was the reciprocal ease in accessing some markets by Africa FOCAC Members. With the recent opening of imports and tariff policies by China to their economic partners, it is going to be up to the Africa FOCAC members to take advantage of China’s commitment to share technology and science so as to lessen gaps in Africa’s industrialization. Empowerment will have to remain a pillar of the cooperation to enable independence in running of affairs. Africa FOCAC Members have grappled with imbalances in financial cooperation from external powers who see them as a cash cow, but the storyline has kept drifting to one of a shared future – Trade and Commerce, Global Climate Change, Science and Technology, International Human Rights and Diplomacy, Infrastructure Partnership, Cultural and Traditional exchanges and learning, Education, and more multi phased into a singular composite. The watch remains focused to the next phase before the 10th FOCAC Ministerial Conference.

 

The writer is a Senior Research Fellow and Lawyer at the  Development Watch Center.

FOCAC 2024: Xi’s Speech Attests to China’s Commitment to a Community of Common Prosperity and a Shared Future

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By  Allawi Ssemanda

 Dear Editor, on Thursday, September 5, 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a 10-minute keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing, China. In the address entitled; “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future,” President Xi explained that “the friendship between China and Africa transcends time and space, surmounts mountains and oceans, and passes down through generations,” and pledged China would support African countries’ endeavours in different sectors with approximately $50.70 billion.

Explaining the 24 years of the FOCAC, Xi emphasized that “China has advanced forward hand in hand with our African brothers and sisters in the spirit of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith…” He explained that China and African countries “…stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly defend our legitimate rights and interests as once-in-a-century changes sweep across the world.” This he emphasized is making the two sides “stronger and more resilient together by riding the tide of economic globalization, delivering tangible benefits to billions of ordinary Chinese and Africans.”

Explaining that “modernization is an inalienable right of all countries,” Xi regretted that “the Western approach to it has inflicted immense sufferings on developing countries.” He pledged China will continue working with African countries and support the continent’s development efforts as laid out in the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which he noted will accelerate the Global South’s transformation. Explaining that “China and Africa account for one-third of the world population, Xi observed that “without our modernization, there will be no global modernization.” He thus pledged that “China is ready to deepen cooperation with Africa in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment.”

To be specific, President Xi pledged, “In the next three years, China will work with Africa to take the following ten partnership actions for modernizations to deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernization.” The ten partnership actions will focus on; Mutual Learning among Civilizations, Trade Prosperity, Industrial Chain Cooperation, Partnership Action for Connectivity, Development Cooperation, Health sector cooperation, and supporting African countries’ Agriculture and Livelihoods. The others are; supporting People-to-People Exchanges, Green Development, and the Partnership Action for Common Security.

When critically analyzed, the ten areas President Xi mentioned that China would work with African areas “deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead modernizations,” if implemented, will not only reignite Africa’s economic growth but also drive sustainable development.

For example, President Xi listed Partnership Action for Connectivity; specifically, noting that “China is prepared to carry out 30 infrastructure connectivity projects in Africa, promote together high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and put in place a China-Africa network featuring land-sea links and coordinated development.” China’s offer to further support Africa’s infrastructural development is a welcome move as the continent is still faced with a shortage of funding in this critical sector. He also mentioned Partnership Action for Green Development stressing that “China is ready to launch 30 clean energy projects in Africa, create a China-Africa forum on peaceful use of nuclear technology…” Put differently, Xi promised to cooperate with the continent on nuclear technology which will tackle a power deficit which has been cited as one of the major challenges delaying Africa’s industrializations efforts. A study by the WB titled “Why we need to close the infrastructure gap in sub-Saharan Africa,” underscores this, stressing that infrastructure funding gaps are hindrances to Africa’s economic take-off. The African Development Bank (ADB) notes that to reduce the continent’s infrastructure funding gaps, Africa needs a of budget $130-$170 billion annually. Therefore, China’s support in such a sector is spot-on.

On the Partnership action for development cooperation, and the partnership action for agriculture and livelihoods, President Xi pledged China’s readiness to “implement 1,000 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects. “China will provide Africa with RMB1 billion yuan (approximately $140 million) in emergency food assistance, build 100,000 projects of standardized agriculture demonstration areas in Africa,” stressed President Xi. These programs if implemented will help the continent in addressing key challenges. It is important to note that China has already been supporting livelihood programs in several African countries, Uganda inclusive. For instance, under the arrangement of the South-South Cooperation (SSC) project between China, Uganda and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), China has injected over 30 million USD is Uganda’s agriculture sector and livelihood programs.

On the Partnership Action for Trade Prosperity, Xi promised to ensure trade between the two sides improves, stressing that “China will voluntarily and unilaterally open its market wider. We have decided to give all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 per cent tariff lines.” This in many ways will continue to support the continent’s social and economic development. Already, China for the last 15 years has been Africa’s largest trading partner. As of the end of 2023, the trade volume between China and Africa reached 282.1 billion USD.

President Xi further proposed to African leaders that “bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterizations of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.”

In conclusion, looking at China’s record of fulfilling its pledges, there is no doubt Beijing sees African countries as partners and the cooperation between the two is indeed guided by principles of mutual respect, real results and win-win cooperation. Therefore, as President Xi noted, China and Africa should rally their populations together to become a “powerful force” and write a “new chapter in peace, prosperity and progress.” This is a sure way for Africa to realize her development goals.

Dr. Allawi Ssemanda is a Senior Research Fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 9: The Journey Over The Last Two Decades

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By Musanjufu Benjamin Kavubu.

From September 4th to 6th  the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will take place in Beijing. This comes at a very critical time for South South-Cooperation, the world economy has slowed down mainly because of the impacts of the last Pandemic and the ongoing 54 major conflicts around the world that affect Africa and China’s supply chain on the Geopolitical discourse.

FOCAC 9 comes at a time when African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is taking root and its backbone the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in many forms makes a decade milestone. The FOCAC summit also comes at a time when the BRICS have become formidable on the global scale and Africa is now very much involved in the new format that is driving multipolarity.

In many aspects, FOCAC 9 will be a momentous summit, in the year 2000 the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation started in Beijing with a ministerial meeting and it was followed by multi-year efforts by African diplomats to formalize the new relationship, in 2003 FOCAC 2 was hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Africa’s political capital and China announced the first Zero-tariff trade measures for Africa. It also marked the first time cultural exchange started being a target area. In 2006 FOCAC moved back to Beijing and it was held at summit level resulting in a $5 billion in financing from China that was geared toward agricultural exchange as a focus area and in 2006 the China-Africa Development Fund was also put in place.

The next FOCAC was back in the African continent in 2009 in Sharm el-Sheikh Egypt with more formalization of the cooperation area, with greater attention on the African development agenda including training and there was $10 billion in funding that was put in place for the Continent.  FOCAC 5 was in Beijing in 2012 and with a number of conflicts largely fuelled by Western interests on the African continent and posing as a stumbling block for development, peace and security was the focal area of cooperation and China put in place $ 20 Billion in funding the endeavour.

In Johannesburg South Africa in 2015 FOCAC embraced the famous Belt and Road Initiative of President Xi that has seen infrastructural developments across the continent and the initial investment that was put in place at that SUMMIT by China was $ 69 billion in funding and it’s fruits are evident today across the Continent, from ports on the East African coast to the Standard Gauge Rail that snakes its way into the interior and new road networks like the Kampala-Entebbe Express highway.

As a tradition the next event in 2018 was in Beijing and the formal integration of the FOCAC into the BRI, agricultural modernisation was the key area of cooperation and more $ 60 Billion in funding was put in place.

FOCAC 8 was special and it was in Dakar Senegal in 2021 happening at the tail end of the COVID-19 Pandemic and it was a semi-virtual event. This saw health and inter-parliamentary diplomacy as Focus areas. And for this meeting there was no single funding package; instead the $ 40 billion put in place was to be spread across a wide range of different categories.

It’s at this back foot that we head into the 9th FOCAC on the 4th of September 2024 in Beijing and we expect agricultural trade for Africa’s part to be the focus point. Agritech cooperation is something that is lacking on the African continent and China has the resources and experience to make this end. Over the past years, diversification through Africa exporting to China for food security purposes will most likely take priority at FOCAC 9 as Africa seeks to move up the value chain. Africa’s agricultural potential production still has space for expanding and more countries can find thriving markets in China. China is already doing a great job in this aspect. To support Africa’s agricultural modernisation, Beijing has sent over 500 agricultural experts to Africa and provided more than 9,000 training opportunities for agricultural experts from the continent.

Other key areas are going to be climate resilience and we have seen China in the past collaborate with countries to develop satellite systems aimed at improving weather forecasts and other forms of scanning to make agriculture more climate-resilient.

As Africa now seeks to export more to China, there is a need to industrialize and Chinese firms are going to be asked to come into the African arena at FOCAC since the BRI has laid the groundwork for that to happen smoothly.

People to people exchange through training and the many scholarships will be another major focus area for cooperation at FOCAC, technology transfer and employment pipeline will take center stage and many African delegations heading to Beijing will be products of China in terms of education.

China’s partnership with Africa is crucial for our infrastructure, and energy sectors. FOCAC isn’t just about building relationships on a diplomatic level, it’s a strategic platform that’s shaping Africa’s role on the global stage.

Over the years, FOCAC has evolved from focusing mainly on economic ties in 2000 to becoming a broader platform for Africa-China relations. Now, Africa is setting the agenda when it comes to working with China, especially in areas like green energy, our youthful population, and our rich mineral resources. China plays a key role in helping us with mass electrification and industrialisation through technology transfer and this is the basis of South-South cooperation.

The September summit comes at a time when the trade between China and Africa is booming. For the last 15 years in a row, China has been Africa’s largest trading partner. In 2023, the trade between the two sides reached a hooping USD 282.1 billion. As we look ahead to FOCAC 2024 on the 4th of September,  this moment is set to be a critical time in our relationship as Africa with China. It has the potential to bring significant progress in trade, industrial development, and sustainable cooperation. For Africa, the key to long-term benefits will be our ability to shape and influence the agenda in this partnership.

The writer is a  research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

Navigating the minefield of negative media punchlines on China-Africa relations will take forming our own opinions

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By George Musiime

As Africans, we cannot continue to be a people that turn on our own because we have outsiders urging us on to do so. We are as human, as the next human trying to help us determine our destiny. Unfortunately, to use the words of one notable Son of Africa Dr. Kaihura Nkuba, the biggest obstacle to Africa’s progress is “the riddle of who we truly are” and to some this, all we need is to build our people’s confidence in being African and taking pride in it. Only then shall we be able to think for ourselves and to trust our choices; that we are able to make the right choices for our people and ourselves. As sociologists argue, he who controls your langauge of discourse your reality! History has it that we have already lost to the ploys of divide and conquer in the past. Moreover, albeit being able to lift the heavy boot of colonialism from our neck at independence, we were not able to totally free ourselves, as many of us remain prone to being turned into marionettes; our opinions swayed easily by manipulating a few strings by some who relentlessly attempts to influence the course of our future.

When it comes to Sino-Africa relations, it is no doubt that China presents Africa with a uniquely suitable development partner who understands the distinctive problems of the continent and its people given our shared history. Yet commentary originating from without is often times punctuated by denunciations that echo notions such as resource exploitation, developmental debt-trap diplomacy, corruption, dictatorship and neo-colonialism etcetera. What is more is that, unless we take the initiative to rationalize the spirit underpinning the conception of such opinions, we are likely to be misled and consequently pitted against arguably, Africa’s best bet when it comes to development partnerships and all that  to our own detriment.

One such opinion is the negative impact of Confucius institutes (CIs) across Africa, which critics associate with a tactful push of Chinese soft power and influence over Africa. Since the establishment of the first CI in Kenya in 2005, many more have followed with the aim providing an understanding of the Chinese culture and language to many Africans. This has in turn laid the necessary groundwork for the growing cultural interaction between the African continent and China. For example, by 2018, during the FOCAC conference in Beijing, China committed to making available 50,000 government scholarships to African students as well as 50,000 opportunities for seminars and workshops to train more professionals in a diversity of fields. All this serve to strengthen one of the key pillars of China-Africa relations, which is the people-to-people exchange. Therefore, CIs do not act as a tool for imposing Chinese culture in the old assimilation fashion as critics baselessly claim; but rather serve to build a bridge for the exchange of knowledge, culture and expertise between China and Africa.

This is in line with the Chinese diplomacy principle of bolstering people-to-people exchange between China and rest of the world focusing on relations that are not prejudiced or relations  where one-entity projects its superiority over the other. Conversely, these are relations built on mutual understanding and camaraderie.  Such should be the basis upon which Africa relations must be built especially at a time when we are looking to take a step into the future; away from the mound of bottlenecks, the continent has faced against a backdrop of unfair dealings where Africa has engaged as the lesser party. Of course, China understands this as a fundamental cornerstone to progressive diplomatic relations with Africa as emphasized in their foreign policy. The Chinese approach is from a position of awareness that not only Africa needs China but China needs Africa as well if we are both to achieve our development goals. As such, China relations with Africa are hinged on the understanding that both parties are Partners of equal significance and nothing but a win-win cooperation. Moreover, as we move towards improved diplomatic collaboration aided in part by the work of the Confucius institutes, we realize an increased potential for extending the chain of linked benefits. As diplomatic collaboration avenues are expanded, so are development partnerships both in the public private sectors for both parties. This in turn forms a sound basis for a surge in trade and investments, the one thing that Africa needs more than anything at the moment.

Therefore, to emphasize cultural and language exchange as a tool for galvanizing Chinese soft power over Africa while ignoring the role of language as a cornerstone of human interaction and communication as emphasized by a 2023 publitard article titled “The Role of Language in Global Collaboration” and a key part in the broader jigsaw puzzle that is global cooperation is to say the least intellectual dishonesty. Even more important is the emphasis on mutually beneficial China-Africa relations stressed in a document titled “China’s African Policy” which also highlights actionable steps to this end.  According to this policy paper, the five key aspects of the China-Africa relations are Sincerity, Equality, Mutual benefit, Solidarity, and common development focusing on the fundamental benefits of both the African and Chinese people.

Certainly, this is not to say that this is exactly how things are going to happen in principle but the language and cultural exchange being built under the flagship of the Confucius Institutes is a key ingredient in putting in place an integral element on the soft infrastructure such as the people-to-people exchange necessary for China-Africa relation. And it should be the work of all; governments, Independent thinkers and every forward-thinking African to debunk the punchy news headlines and social media bites aimed at painting the negative image of China-Africa Relations and the future for Africa.

George Musiime is a research fellow at the Sino-Uganda Research Centre.

FOCAC’S 2022-24 Dakar Action Plan: Where Do the Women and Youths Lie?

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It is every country’s aspiration to secure a stable, developmental, and sustainable spot on the international political and socio-economic equilibrium. Often times, the pursuit of these aspirations are hindered by usually foreseeable circumstances most of which have an imperialistic identity. In the same pursuit, a few countries manage to evade the swarm of conflict, not spontaneously but they eventually overcome. The incidental factors that spark this sort of triumph can secure a moment for discussion at a later convenient period. This moment’s topical focus is as to what happens when these countries get to the top. Rise and immerse others? Or rise and lift others? China is a focal point of choice. To immerse, or to lift!

A unifying bloc (for China and Africa relations) was formed in Beijing, and is known the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Following the China-Africa Consultative Forum, when it was first formed in 2000, criticism rang from all corners. The formation of this cooperation had joined the few international diplomacy blocs. It was a potential threat (as thought at the time) to the Western domination. It issued alternative policy direction to a traditional modus operandi. Like a few other attempts that had sunk miserably, this new born was to stand the proverbial test of time. As of now, it’s now 21 years and counting. The initial number of flag-off members has within that time expanded and it’s promising to add, that there are prospective members along the way.

The tradition has been holding a ministerial conference after a period of 3 years. The recent such ministerial conference was held in November, 2021, in Senegal’s capital of Dakar. Much was discussed, more was agreed upon, but there’s something worthy to note out of that ministerial conference. The needs, aspirations, and the goals have since kept alternating compared to very first ministerial conference. These needs and objectives have been inspired by the changing times. Whereas the founding principles of this diplomacy remain intact, the mode of achieving these goals and cropping of new regional and international challenges haven’t been constant. Two of the most interesting highlights of the recent FOCAC ministerial conference were the concerns on “Youth and Women,” and the “Digital Economy.”

In numerous countries, perhaps world over, women were greatly discriminated at peak levels in the recent centuries. For most African countries, sadly, this still happens on great scales, at a time where someone would think that such vices and regrettable events are only but a tale. The youth, on the other hand, are hardly supported by their respective governments in their pursuit to make the world a better place. These two interest groups are often times victims of uneven distribution of resources. The impacts are realized in the deplorable standards of living, and uneven spreading of wealth. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation for the past 6 years has been committed to realizing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically agenda 5 on realizing ‘gender equality’ and agenda 10 on ‘reducing inequalities’.

The Dakar Action Plan adopted under the ‘Culture and People-to-people’ exchanges chapter in which China and Africa FOCAC members pledged to keep strengthening the already present cooperation and future exchanges in advancing equality in gender. On the top list was empowerment of women. The two sides resolved on tenable solutions to this being through women’s dialogues by supported by all responsible bodies in these member states, exchanges especially among the women startup and seasonal entrepreneurs. Seminars both locally and internationally have been supported by China such as the ‘Happy Campus Projects’ and the Child Health and Maternal Healthcare programs to which over 25,000 women participants from the FOCAC developing countries benefitted from trainings on modern healthcare methods.

China is a serving member to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women whose agenda is well laid out as of the sustainable development goals (SDG’s). This identity is a statement that its ideals are buried in equitable development. That China is worthy of guiding, advisory, and responsive partner state. The country’s resolve in promotion of women’s rights and elevation of their social and economic status has been on for years and it’s not surprising that in 1995, it hosted the Fourth World Conference on Women. There’s more to learn from other FOCAC member states from this resilience and the greatest expectation is policy formulation and implementation by these states.

The youth (in all forms) are equally pivotal to future success in these states. The national and international statistical analysis has showed. Authoritatively for the Republic of Uganda, China’s diplomatic relations and exchange programs have slightly been effective at addressing the unemployment problem. The Belt and Road Initiative being the greatest driver. The scholarship programs by the Chinese government to Ugandan scholars have been thus fulfilling at equipping the beneficiaries with the modern skills and knowledge of new technologies. The Chinese founded industries in Uganda’s scattered industrial parks, revolutionary agricultural methods at Kapeeka, Oil mining activities by CNOOC in the Albertine region, infrastructural construction projects, to state the least. Just last week, CNOOC announced completion of 56 modern houses which will be given to Ugandans in Albertine region as part of their compensation for land where CNOOC carrying out oil exploration. Also, the company is offering employment opportunities to Ugandan youth.

The downside is that the question of the disabled women and youth (widely) is yet to be answered. In practice, the intervention projects basically addressing this special group are more through short-term aid, than they should be permanent at securing long-term effects such as financial stability. Perhaps, the policy formulators who are able to read this should heed to the call. The bright light is that the Dakar Action Plan recognized this inequity and that’s a positive outlook. Now, than ever in the FOCAC relations, the youth and women have gained more attention. This is good progress, but more efforts by member states are still required in addressing the challenges that still linger beneath. Hopefully, the exchanges among these countries will keep yielding more and more.

Alan Collins Mpewo is a Research Fellow, Development Watch Center

 

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