Interview: Senegal to make 8th Ministerial Conference of FOCAC a complete success

Senegal's Foreign Minister Aissata Tall Sall speaks during an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Dakar, Senegal, Nov. 4, 2021. (Photo by Demba Gueye/Xinhua)

DAKAR, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Senegal's Foreign Minister Aissata Tall Sall says her country has a responsibility to ensure that the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), scheduled to take place between November 29 and 30 in Dakar, is "a complete success".

In a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua, she noted that the FOCAC intends to "work on the next three years in terms of prospects" after the coronavirus pandemic.

African countries will see what China can offer on the resilience of their post-pandemic economies and on health support while continuing to relaunch major infrastructure programs to strengthen China-Africa cooperation, Sall said.

At the Dakar conference, both sides are also expected to address Africa's place within the Belt and Road Initiative. "I believe that this is a place that must be important in world trade," she said.

She believed that China could serve as an example for countries like Senegal and others in Africa while praising China's "extraordinary leap" forward in terms of the economic development and the people's well-being.

On China-Senegalese cooperation, the minister recalled that the two countries have a long-standing relationship. For Senegal, China has been a major partner in its various development sectors.

"We have specific examples when we talk about cooperation with China. Senegalese will talk to you about highways, sports, cultural infrastructure, all stadiums and the Museum of Black Civilizations. Many things have been done in the framework of cooperation", she said, hailing China as a great partner.

In February, China was the first country to supply Senegal with COVID-19 vaccines, followed by hospital equipments, Sall said.