By: Shegaw Yemataw
The Beijing Declaration on China-Africa Cooperation, adopted in September 2024, has ignited a renewed commitment from China to deepen its partnership with Africa. In light of this historic declaration, Ambassador Hu Changchun, China's top diplomat to the African Union, has reaffirmed his country's dedication to deepening ties with the continent. This commitment encompasses a wide range of areas, including national governance, industrialization, agricultural modernization, peace and security, and the Belt and Road Initiative.
China has pledged to provide zero-tariff treatment to 33 African countries, creating one million jobs for Africans within the next three years. This ambitious plan, along with other initiatives outlined in the Beijing Declaration, was the focus of a recent seminar held in Addis Ababa, bringing together officials from the African Union, UNECA, and Chinese and African think tanks.
The seminar, titled "Jointly Building an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future for the New Era," underscored the shared vision of a resilient and unified China-Africa community. Ambassador Hu Changchun highlighted China's commitment to further deepening ties with Africa in key areas like national governance, industrialization, agriculture modernization, peace and security, and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
Khalid Boudali, Presiding Officer of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the AU, hailed the Beijing Declaration as a visionary roadmap for a resilient and unified China-Africa community. He pledged to ensure African voices are heard within the decision-making frameworks of the AU.
Yonas Adaye, Commissioner of the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission, reiterated the importance of peace and security for development, applauding China's engagement in Africa as a partnership based on mutual benefit and a bright future for the next generation.
Officials and representatives from the AU Commission, AU organizations, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, and experts from Chinese and African think tanks delivered speeches on ways to advance China-Africa cooperation at the seminar. The event served as a platform to discuss concrete steps for implementing the Beijing Declaration, ensuring that it translates into tangible benefits for both sides.