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China-Africa Forum Calls for New Forms of Cooperation: Tanzanian President
Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa said in Dar es Salaam Thursday the just closed China-Africa Cooperation Forum in Beijing reviewed cooperation between the Chinese and African governments over the past 50 years and called for the need to explore new forms of cooperation, cooperation between enterprises in particular.
Upon his arrival at Dar es Salaam International Airport from Beijing, China, the president told journalists that the China-Africa cooperation should now focus on public firms and the private sectors and not at governmental level only.
The forum resolved to establish a center in China that would enable Chinese entrepreneurs to have new knowledge of areas of investment on the African continent, he said.
It was also agreed to form a joint council of chambers of commerce aimed at accelerating business contacts between China and African countries, he added.
Mkapa said discussions at the forum focused on areas of investment such as science and technology, education and the health sector.
According to the Beijing Declaration issued at the end of the three-day forum held in Beijing from October 10 to 12, nearly 80 African ministers resolved to consolidate and expand China-Africa cooperation at all levels and to establish within the framework of South-South cooperation a new type of long-term and stable partnership based on equality and mutual benefit.
Mkapa was one of the four African heads of state attending the forum, which also witnessed the presence of Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo, Frederick Chiluba of Zambia and Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria.
Mkapa and his wife Anna Mkapa were greeted at the airport by Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye and other high-ranking officials.
Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Wang Yongqiu was also present on the occasion.
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