The 5th African Ambassadors in China Retreat

Excellencies,

Ambassadors,

My UN colleagues, 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

On behalf of the United Nations in China, I extend profound gratitude to the African Union Mission and Development Reimagined for convening and engaging the UN in China in this pivotal 5th Retreat. 

We gather at a time when the world faces the stark fact of rising inequality, climate crisis and rampant conflicts. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025 issued a few days ago warns that we face “a global development emergency”, since only 35 per cent of SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress; nearly half are moving too slowly and, alarmingly, 18 per cent are in reverse. The status of SDG progress in Africa is even more alarming – as of 2024, less than six percent of the 32 measurable SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030. 

However, the African Development Bank’s 2025 Outlook reminds us that Africa remains a “fertile land of hope”, with its projected growth rising from 3.3% in 2024 to 3.9% in 2025, despite mounting geopolitical uncertainties and trade tension. 

This brought us to today’s discussion and the theme of this year’s retreat – Coordinating and Elevating African Agency in China for Post-FOCAC Implementation. We need concrete entry-points and mechanisms to translate Africa’ potential and ambitions into measurable actions and deliverables. We need to explore common ground to galvanize support – political, funding and financing, from a broad range of stakeholders, to accelerate the SDG progress in Africa. 

Just 10 months ago, at the nineth FOCAC Summit, African and Chinese leaders committed to a transformative partnership through the Beijing Declaration, the FOCAC Action Plan (2025-2027) and the Joint Statement on Cooperation on the GDI, backed by US$50.7 billion in new financing. The UN Secretary-General, in his opening remarks, noted that “China’s partnership with the African continent is the main pillar of South-South cooperation” and that the China-Africa partnership “can drive the renewable energy revolution” and “can be a catalyst for key transitions on food systems and digital connectivity”; while China’s remarkable record of development including on eradicating poverty, trade, data management, finance and technology, are areas where Africa can maximize the potential of China’s support. 

In June this year, the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo witnessed a record-breaking of over 30,000 participants from 53 African countries, 11 international organizations and 27 Chinese provincial-level regions. Today, this Retreat provides us with the platform to stock-take what we have been collaborating before and after the FOCAC Beijing Summit, together, in a concerted effort. 

As you are aware, the UN in China, in collaboration with the Host Government, the African Ambassadors’ Group, the UN system, and other stakeholders such as the Rockefeller Foundation, co-created the China-Africa-UN Transformative Partnership Initiative (TPI), to help implement the FOCAC outcomes, which have the potential to accelerate the race towards the SDGs. 

We started with a full-day symposium in January 2022, to identify key areas for implementation, from the outcomes of the 8th FOCAC ministerial conference. Throughout 2022 and 2023, a few policy and technical discussions were convened and it was decided to focus on project-based cooperation in agriculture and food security, as well as climate change and energy transition, to start with countries in the Horn of Africa. 

In 2024 and 2025, the TPI gains further momentum. A couple of project proposals have been developed. In July 2024, the UN in China organized a pre-FOCAC symposium, along with the African Ambassadors’ Group in China, to provide inputs to the outcome documents for the FOCAC Beijing Summit. We were honored to have UNAIDS Executive Director speak at the event in Beijing. 

I thank Dr. Erasmus Morah, Director of UNAIDS China Office and Ms. Amakobe Sande, UNICEF Representative for co-hosting a dinner with a few African Ambassadors and members of the UN Country Team in China in June, to stock-take the Expo in Changsha, and prepare for the post-FOCAC symposium, in August or September this year. 

In the Sub-Saharan region alone, the World Bank projects the need to invest  approximately 7.1 percent of GDP each year in infrastructure if it is to meet the SDGs. In 2024, the Bank invested USD$ 38 billion in Africa, over 30% of its total global commitment of $117.5 billion, in order to fight poverty, tackle climate change, and boost economic growth. 

This morning’s discussion exposed us to two key elements of China-Africa partnership: trade and investment, in particular raising African export to China; and scaling up private sector investment in Africa following the success of Panda bonds. Our discussions underscored three critical elements in unlocking Africa’s potential: the centrality of African agencies, the architecture of partnerships and the imperative of innovation. 

These are critical to achieving Africa’s economic priorities, including boosting value-added exports – through implementing China’s generous offer to deliver on the zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines and operationalizing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Empowerment of women and youth remains paramount to unlocking demographic dividends in Africa; while mitigating climate shocks and accelerating SDG progress through green and digital transformation in the continent. We also need to harness emerging technologies such as AI, renewable energy systems, and climate-resilient agriculture – to leapfrog development in the digital age. 

I thank you again for inviting the UN in China in this meaningful discussion. The path forward demands bold commitment and pragmatic actions. The UN in China remains steadfast in our partnership with the Chinese Government, the African Ambassadors’ Group as well as other stakeholders and partners including Development Reimagined, to offer our platforms, networks and expertise, to support the implementation of FOCAC outcomes. This remains a significant pillar of the new cycle of our Cooperation Framework with China, spanning the period of 2026 to 2030. We will discuss and agree on the post-FOCAC symposium to be held in the next few months, another concrete example of our partnerships. 

Thank you.