Joint efforts by China and Africa can spark new momentum for development on the continent, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday, at a high-level meeting in Beijing.
USA / CHINA – The UN chief secretary-general António Guterres underlined the global body’s support for this partnership in remarks to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit. Leaders from some 50 African countries are expected to attend the Summit, which has been held every three years since 2000.
Debt hampers development
Guterres noted that they were gathering in China amid rising geopolitical tensions, raging conflicts and growing poverty and hunger. He pointed to current challenges, including the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, as well as the worsening climate crisis, inequalities and threats to global and African efforts to achieve sustainable development.
Meanwhile, many African countries are mired in debt and struggling to invest in sustainable development, he said.
Reform outdated systems
The UN secretary-general recalled his proposals to reform “outdated, ineffective and unfair international financial architecture”, and to provide a stimulus plan for developing countries striving to make the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a reality.
Solutions include increasing the lending capacity of multilateral development banks and enabling them to massively scale up affordable financing for development. He stressed that the support of China and Africa for these initiatives is critical.
Progress on shared goals
“In this context, South-South cooperation is essential to build capacities and drive progress on shared development goals – while in no way reducing the responsibilities of the Global North,” he said.
Guterres described China’s partnership with the African continent as a pillar of South-South cooperation. The process refers to the exchange of technology and skills between countries of the Global South.
“Your joint efforts, based on the United Nations Charter, can create a new momentum for African development,” he said; recalling that China is already Africa’s longstanding and largest trading partner.
“And we know that in Africa, as elsewhere, investments are game-changing when they respect national ownership and are financially sustainable, climate-sensitive and consistent with international human rights commitments.”
Partnership for transition
Furthermore, “China’s remarkable record of development – including on eradicating poverty – provides a wealth of experience and expertise”, he continued. “The China-Africa partnership can drive the renewable energy revolution. It can be a catalyst for key transitions on food systems and digital connectivity,” he added. “And as home to some of the world’s most dynamic economies, Africa can maximize the potential of China’s support in areas from trade to data management, finance and technology.”
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