China, Africa senior officials meet in Beijing to review progress of 2021 agreements

Senior officials from African ministries of foreign affairs are meeting in Beijing to review the progress of the implementation of agreements reached in 2021 in Dakar under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The meeting has brought together senior officials from 54 African countries with the view to taking stock of progress on ties with China on the nine points that inform FOCAC engagements.

The nine key deliverables are centered around medical and health; poverty reduction and agricultural development; trade promotion; investment promotion; digital innovation; green development; capacity building; cultural and people-to-people exchange; and peace and security.

Kenya was represented at the meeting by Jane Makori, a director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs alongside senior officials of the National Treasury and Economic Planning Ministry.

She told the Star at the sidelines of the meeting that they would use the platform to give an update on Kenya’s progress in implementing projects under the nine themes that were resolved in the Dakar meeting.

“We will update the assembly on the progress made in the implementation of the themes. We have attained tremendous milestones and are working with various county governments to realize the goals,” she said.

In remarks at the opening ceremony of the meeting, Deng Li – chairman of the Follow-Up Committee of FOCAC and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ministry of China, said Africa’s role in global development cannot be understated.

He said this was the reason China was the first developed country to support the African Union’s bid to be part of the G20.“Africa’s voice is having a greater impact.

Development in Africa shouldn’t be overlooked. The world should pay more attention to Africa,” Li said, adding that China’s ties with Africa have borne results.

Li cited the construction of 16 Luban workshops – for technical and vocational training, and the signing of agreements for collaborations on matters health, education, and infrastructure.

He called on African officials present at the meeting to work towards implementing the measures by President Xi Jinping under the Belt and Road Initiative, underscoring the need for Africa to undertake the global peace initiative.

“We must work to uphold peace and stability as spelt in the global peace initiative. This will help deescalate tension and silence the guns. Let us have deliberate efforts to attain joint solutions to global security governance,” Li said.

Oumar Demba Ba, co-chair of African countries in FOCAC and diplomatic adviser of Senegalese President, welcomed China’s support in Africa’s bid to be part of the G20.

“We hope that the membership will revitalize multilateralism. We hope the UN Security Council will now deal with security threats experienced in Africa,” Demba said.

He lauded FOCAC as a “Strong pillar for current and future relations.”

“We’ll work together with China to bring development to our people,” he said.