China invited to play role for African development within NEPAD

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 16, 2003

China invited to play role for African development within NEPAD

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The New Partnership for Africa's development (NEPAD) is the framework within which China is invited to play a valuable and significant role for the development of Africa, Joaquim Chissano, the current chairperson of the African Union, said in Addis Ababa on Monday.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the Second Ministerial Conference of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum kicking off this morning, Joaquim Chissano, the president of Mozambique, said that agriculture is seen in Africa as the sector that can ensure food security, eradicate poverty and improve people's livelihood in Africa.

"I, therefore, invite the people and government of China to support, under NEPAD, the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program," said the AU chairperson.

NEPAD is a partnership based on a common vision and a firm and shared conviction to eradicate poverty and place the continent on a path for sustainable growth and development.

Commending China for have been supporting for decades the development of infrastructure in Africa, building roads, hospitals, bridges and schools, he wished China will go on with this effort as the infrastructure development is one of the NEPAD priorities.

He also wished that China can render Africa access to the Chinese market, considering it as a way to promote the African business community and the development of the continent.

While thanking China for having signed protocols on debt and relief and cancellation with 31 African countries, he urged it to consider ways of extending the same generosity to low and intermediate income countries that are not eligible to the HIPC Initiative.

The Mozambican president concluded his speech by expressing hiswish to see this forum come out with such good results that may contribute to the social and economic development of Africa and tothe strengthening of the smart partnership between China and Africa.

The latest official statistics indicate that trade between China and Africa had increased to 12.39 billion US dollars in 2002from 10.6 billion dollars in 2000, and the figure for the first nine months of 2003 is 13.39 billion dollars.

Chinese investors have already established 602 businesses in 49African countries, covering such areas as trade, industry, and agriculture.

Africans, including those from South Africa and Uganda, have also had their investment in China.

Highlighted by the action-oriented spirit, the meeting, which gathered China and 44 African countries, is the first ministerial conference of the forum held on the African continent, and will be a significant event in the Sino-African relationship.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and a dozen of other African heads of state or government attended the opening ceremony, and also present are Chinese and African foreign ministers and ministers in charge of the international economic cooperation, and representatives of some international and regional organizations as well.

The main agenda of this conference is to review the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and the Program for China-Africa Cooperation in Economic and Social Development, two documents adopted during the first ministerial meeting of the forum held in Beijing in 2000.

It is also highlighted in the agenda to explore new initiatives and measures on the way toward Sino-African cooperation in such areas of priority as human resources development, agriculture, infrastructure development, investment and trade.

During the two-day conference, the participants will discuss and adopt the Addis Ababa Action of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (2004-2006).

Under the theme of "Friendship, Cooperation and Development" and in an action-oriented spirit, the participants will hold extensive and in-depth discussion and exchanges on how to further promote the establishment of a new, stable and long-term China-Africa partnership of equality and mutual benefit and all-around cooperation.

The First Ministerial Conference of the forum was held in Beijing, capital of China, from Oct. 10 to 12, 2000.

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