China-Africa Business Council 2023 Report Launching Ceremony

H.E. Mr. Wu Peng, Director-General of Africa Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

H.E. Mr. Ibgrahima Sory Sylla, Ambassador of Senegal to China,

Mr. Wu Yanming, Chairman of CABC,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to thank the China-Africa Business Council for the invitation to speak at this event launching their report of Increasing Added Value of African Products. Partnerships between China and Africa represent a cornerstone in unlocking an enormous potential for growth, development, and progress across the African continent and increasing the added value of products produced in Africa will only amplify the impact.

This collaborative relationship fosters economic growth, bolsters infrastructure development, and generates employment opportunities for those residing in Africa. It also catalyzes economic diversification, strengthens local industries, and enhances access to essential goods and services. A crucial aspect of these partnerships is technology cooperation, which empowers African countries to leverage the potential of digital transformation, fostering innovation, education, and governance. This collaboration holds the promise of bridging the digital divide, ushering Africa into the global knowledge economy.

In this transformative process, the United Nations, within the China-Africa Cooperation framework, plays a central role as a trusted mediator, ensuring that these partnerships adhere to international norms, standards, and best practices. This role extends to safeguarding the interests and welfare of all stakeholders, thus upholding the principles of fairness and sustainability.

Moreover, the United Nations, armed with its expertise and resources, is dedicated to assisting African countries in fully unlocking the potential of these partnerships, particularly in the pursuit of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the third priority area of the UN in China’s United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), we aim to build and nurture partnerships with a comprehensive approach to cooperation that enriches both regions. This multilateral collaboration underscores the vital role of a coordinated global response in addressing shared challenges and shaping a brighter future for all.

Our strategy for achieving these objectives comprises two fundamental components. Firstly, we operate as a multi-country platform, facilitating demand-based cooperation between China and South-South partner country governments and UN Country Teams (UNCTs). This platform enables access to China's substantial resources and knowledge, allowing them to be strategically directed towards critical areas.

As a testament to the effectiveness of this approach, last year saw the joint efforts of 13 UN agencies, mobilizing approximately US$115 million, primarily from China's Global Development Fund. This funding was deployed to support 85 partner countries, with a significant number of them hailing from Africa. This financial support played a pivotal role in bolstering these countries' response to the COVID-19 pandemic, fortifying resilience, fostering social inclusion, enhancing food and agriculture security, and addressing pressing concerns in the fields of climate and energy.

One stellar example that epitomizes this workstream is the Transformative Partnerships Initiative (TPI) in the Horn of Africa. This initiative saw active engagement with UNCTs in the Horn of Africa countries, culminating in the creation of a comprehensive framework designed to address the ongoing drought crisis. By leveraging catalytic South-South Cooperation (SSC) contributions from China, we aim to make a tangible impact on the SDGs.

As a pilot case, negotiations are currently underway with the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) to support drought response in the Horn of Africa.

This endeavour encompasses a portfolio of synchronized UN programs, including vital aspects such as emergency response, energy transition, livelihoods promotion, resilience building, and digital transformation.

On the other hand, the second approach seeks to guide and inform the policies and implementation practices of China's development cooperation providers. This is an indispensable endeavour, designed to encourage the effective incorporation of international best practices and standards, thus maximizing the impact of their initiatives, especially concerning the SDGs. An illustrative example of this collaborative effort is our joint program that centres on the health sector in Africa. Through engagements with counterparts within the Chinese government, including the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), the National Health Commission (NHC), and the National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control,

we aim to ensure that partnerships with African health providers prioritize increasing access to relevant, high-quality, and affordable health medicines and commodities in Africa.

This proactive stance is not only in alignment with global objectives, but is also a significant contribution to the global commitment to end AIDS by 2030.

Finally. I would like to draw your attention to a significant event that transpired on January 18, 2022, in Beijing. The African Ambassadors Group in China, in collaboration with the United Nations in China, co-hosted a symposium as a follow-up to the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). This event, initiated by Abdallah Abdillahi Miguil, Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti to the People's Republic of China and Acting Dean of the African Ambassadors Group in China, was built around the theme, "Towards a Greener, More Prosperous, and Healthier Future Together." Its primary aim was to provide a platform for stakeholders to build upon the outcomes of the Conference and further reinforce the burgeoning partnership between China and Africa.

Furthermore, on September 22, 2022, in response to the request from representatives of Horn of Africa (HoA) countries, the United Nations (UN) in China played a pivotal role in supporting an event with the theme, "Dialogue on Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security: Towards a More Resilient and Sustainable Horn of Africa."

During this momentous dialogue, the Joint Summary publication entitled "Towards a Greener, More Prosperous, and Healthier Future Together" was launched. This publication encapsulates the outcomes of the symposium that followed the 8th FOCAC Ministerial Conference held in Dakar in November 2021. The development of this Joint Summary was made possible with support from all relevant stakeholders, and the UN in China played a pivotal role in its creation. This Joint Summary not only takes stock of the progress made thus far but also offers valuable guidance for our path forward.

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

In conclusion, international cooperation is critical for addressing global challenges we face. Only by working together we will be able to reach the ambitions set forth in the 2030 Agena for Sustainable Development and ensure that no person and no country is left behind. Leveraging China's international engagement and contributions is critical to advance progress on the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement. Our two-fold approach, focused on facilitating demand-based cooperation and informing policy and implementation practices, exemplifies our commitment to achieving these goals and increased collaboration with organizations like the China-Africa Business Council can only further strengthen these efforts. We eagerly anticipate the launch of the 2023 report on Chinese Investment in Africa and the opportunity to share insights and ideas that will drive progress and cooperation between China and Africa. Together, we can build a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.

Thank you.