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China, Africa underline non-governmental exchanges to boost ties

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China, Africa underline non-governmental exchanges to boost ties

China, Africa underline non-governmental exchanges to boost ties
Photo credit: Xinhua | Pan Siwei

Leaders of African countries and China have vowed to enhance exchanges. Non-governmental organizations on both sides will boost people to people relations at different levels.

The leaders expressed the need for further strengthening the multifaceted ties of the two peoples at the 4th China Africa People’s Forum which took place in east China’s Yiwu City on Aug. 26.

The forum was held with the theme “Joining efforts towards building a China Africa Community of shared destinies and embracing a new horizon in people to people friendship.”

Addressing the forum, President of the National Assembly of Togo Mr. Dama Dramani said China and Africa have currently built commendable relations at government and party levels. This relation should be further enhanced through upholding the role of NGOs of both sides and young leaders.

Former President of Namibia Lucas Pohamba on his part indicated that the forum meeting is held at the right time as its outcome will lay a good foundation for the high level meetings of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) which will take place in December 2015 in South Africa.

Vice President of the People’s Republic of China Li Yuanchao said on his part that the needs and interests of African people should be the driving force in the people to people relations of Africa and China.

During the forum, participants indicated that building a China-Africa community of shared destinies is the request of our times and the common choice of the Chinese and African people.

China and Africa are also facing rare opportunities for development as China is dedicated to attaining the two centenary goals and the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation while African continent is full of vigor and hope and its countries are working for the goals defined in the Agenda 2063 set forth by the African Union, the participants said.

One of the speakers at the forum, Peace and Security Studies Director with Addis Ababa University Ato Yonas Adaye said China is playing a big role in the political and economic arena of the world. He further stipulated that along with the existing strong collaboration between China and Africa, due attention should be given to poverty reduction, prevention of cross border crime and terrorism, and addressing the existing refugee crisis among other issues.

The forum has also called on non-governmental forces of the two sides which mainly include think-tanks, media and businesses to play a booster role for the comprehensive and sustainable development of China and Africa.

Accordingly from 2016 to 2018 the non-governmental sectors will promote cooperation in industry and productivity, build a partnership for peace and security and strengthen capacity building in public health among other key areas.

For this end, China NGOs Network for International Exchange (CNIE) and the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (ECOSOC) will take the leading role in setting up a permanent committee of the CAPF in charge of regular contact between non-governmental sectors in China and in African countries.

The forum, which is organized by Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), CNIE and the African Union (ECOSOC) is being attended by more than 200 participants drawn from senior politicians, civil society representatives and youth leaders from China and 30 African countries including Ethiopia.

The first China-Africa People’s Forum (CAPF) was held in 2011 in Nairobi, the second in 2012 in Suzhou, China and the third in 2013 in Khartoum.

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