19, November 2022
Francophone countries meet for summit in Tunisia 0
The world’s club of French-speaking countries will meet in Tunisia from Saturday for talks focused on economic cooperation, more than a year after President Kais Saied began an internationally criticised power grab.
Around 30 heads of state and government, including French President Emmanuel Macron, his Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, are set to attend the summit of the International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF) on the southern Tunisian resort island of Djerba.
While the two-day summit and an associated economic forum will officially focus on digital technology’s role in development, it will also be an opportunity for Western and African leaders to discuss issues like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Many African countries have decried what they see as a lack of international solidarity in the face of crises on their continent, in sharp contrast with European nations’ swift support of Kyiv.
The summit coincides with the final stage of UN climate talks in Egypt, and comes just days after G20 leaders met in Indonesia for a meeting dominated by the war in Ukraine, which is an OIF observer state.
Source: AFP
12, January 2023
Chinese Foreign Minister says Africa should be stage for cooperation, not international competition 0
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang says Africa should not be a competition arena between world powers, as he opened a new headquarters for a pan-African health body.
Qin made the remark on Wednesday as he visited the Chinese-built headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
He emphasized China’s partnership with Africa in security areas and economic development.
“No country, no people have the right to force the African countries and people to take sides,” the Chinese foreign minister said at a joint news conference with African Union Commission chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat.
“Africa should be a big stage for international cooperation, not an arena for major countries’ competition,” he said, adding, “China’s contribution is concrete in bettering the lives of African people.”
Qin, who had been ambassador to the United States until December last year, is on his first overseas visit as foreign minister and a weeklong trip to Africa that will also take him to Gabon, Angola, Benin, and Egypt.
His visit marks the 33rd consecutive year that Africa has been the destination of a Chinese foreign minister’s first overseas tour of the calendar year.
Faki Mahamat said in the news conference that Africa’s lack of permanent representation on the Security Council was a “burning issue” considering that most issues on the Council’s agenda were related to African countries.
“It is unacceptable that others decide in the place of others. It is not fair. We need a new order at the international level which will respect the interests of others,” he said.
The AUC chairperson said, “Africa refuses to be considered to be an arena of exchange of influence… We are open to cooperation and partnership with everybody, but our principles, our priorities and our interests have to be respected. The partnership we have with China is based on these principles.”
Qin also met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and other government officials on Tuesday, announcing the cancellation of part of Ethiopia’s debt to China during the visit, although no party provided details.
Ethiopia has borrowed $13.7 billion from China since 2000 and has been seeking to restructure its debt to foreign lenders since 2021.
Qin also called for better relations between the US and China, the world’s two biggest economies, saying the nations should cooperate and co-exist peacefully rather than compete.
China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for over a decade. It competes for influence there with the United States — which hosted leaders from 49 African countries last month — as well as with former colonial powers Britain and France.
According to the Chinese General Administration of Customs, in the first three months of 2022, trade between China and Africa reached nearly $65 billion, registering a 23% increase over the same period in 2021.
Western nations have accused China of using the so-called “death trap” of offering massive loans for infrastructure projects to put African countries in debt to Beijing, both politically and economically. Beijing rejects those allegations.
Source: Presstv
Chinese Foreign Minister says Africa should be stage for cooperation, not international competition
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang says Africa should not be a competition arena between world powers, as he opened a new headquarters for a pan-African health body.
Qin made the remark on Wednesday as he visited the Chinese-built headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
He emphasized China’s partnership with Africa in security areas and economic development.
“No country, no people have the right to force the African countries and people to take sides,” the Chinese foreign minister said at a joint news conference with African Union Commission chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat.
“Africa should be a big stage for international cooperation, not an arena for major countries’ competition,” he said, adding, “China’s contribution is concrete in bettering the lives of African people.”
Qin, who had been ambassador to the United States until December last year, is on his first overseas visit as foreign minister and a weeklong trip to Africa that will also take him to Gabon, Angola, Benin, and Egypt.
His visit marks the 33rd consecutive year that Africa has been the destination of a Chinese foreign minister’s first overseas tour of the calendar year.
Faki Mahamat said in the news conference that Africa’s lack of permanent representation on the Security Council was a “burning issue” considering that most issues on the Council’s agenda were related to African countries.
“It is unacceptable that others decide in the place of others. It is not fair. We need a new order at the international level which will respect the interests of others,” he said.
The AUC chairperson said, “Africa refuses to be considered to be an arena of exchange of influence… We are open to cooperation and partnership with everybody, but our principles, our priorities and our interests have to be respected. The partnership we have with China is based on these principles.”
Qin also met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and other government officials on Tuesday, announcing the cancellation of part of Ethiopia’s debt to China during the visit, although no party provided details.
Ethiopia has borrowed $13.7 billion from China since 2000 and has been seeking to restructure its debt to foreign lenders since 2021.
Qin also called for better relations between the US and China, the world’s two biggest economies, saying the nations should cooperate and co-exist peacefully rather than compete.
China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for over a decade. It competes for influence there with the United States — which hosted leaders from 49 African countries last month — as well as with former colonial powers Britain and France.
According to the Chinese General Administration of Customs, in the first three months of 2022, trade between China and Africa reached nearly $65 billion, registering a 23% increase over the same period in 2021.
Western nations have accused China of using the so-called “death trap” of offering massive loans for infrastructure projects to put African countries in debt to Beijing, both politically and economically. Beijing rejects those allegations.
Source: Presstv