In December 2020, H.E.Mr.He Lifeng, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, and H.E.Mr.Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Unio Commission, jointly signed the "Cooperation Plan between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the African Unio on Jointly Promoting the Building of the Belt and Road Initiative." This Cooperation Plan is the first of its kind in terms of cooperation under the Belt and Road between China and a regional international organization like African Unio. It will enhance the in-depth integration of the BRI with the AU’s Agenda 2063 by opening a brand new chapter in high-quality joint contribution of the BRI between China and Africa.
Africa is a natural and historical extension of the BRI and an indispensable and important part of the BRI international cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative is highly compatible with the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries. China-Africa’s joint contribution of the BRI brings tangible development dividends to both the Chinese and African people and also adds new dimensions to the China-Africa Comprehensive Strategic and Cooperative Partnership. Rwandan President Paul Kagame and many other African leaders highly appreciated that the BRI has brought important opportunities for African development. Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman, the AU representative to China, said that the BRI and the AU's Agenda 2063 share a common vision, which meets the development needs of African countries and will definitely play a role in that regard. Recently, China signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation under Belt and Road, respectively with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Botswana, increasing the total number of African countries that signed the BRI cooperation documents to 46. The family of China-Africa joint contribution of the BRI keeps growing.
The policy coordination between China and Africa on jointly building the BRI has continued to deepen. Since President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, African countries and the AU Commission have actively responded to the BRI and promoted the alignment of China-Africa development strategies. At present, China and Africa are strengthening policy dialogues, detailing development plans and quantifying cooperation goals in many fields such as infrastructure construction and energy resource development, providing guidance for China-Africa practical cooperation. China will establish a coordination mechanism for the BRI cooperation with the AU Commission in a bid to effectively link the related executive departments and resources of both sides, establish channels and mechanisms for exchanges, communication and consultation, and solve problems encountered in planning and executing projects in a timely manner, thus promoting the smooth implementation of the Cooperation Plan under Belt and Road.
The facility connectivity China and Africa have jointly built under the BRI has been fruitful. Infrastructure deficit is a major bottleneck restraining the development of Africa. China has built more than 6,000 kilometers of both railways and highways in Africa, nearly 20 ports and more than 80 large-scale power facilities, and a large number of BRI flagship projects such as the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway, Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, Mombasa Port, etc. have been completed and put into operation. These infrastructure projects play an important role in the process of industrialization and economic transformation in Africa. China is working with Africa to jointly formulate the China-Africa Infrastructure Cooperation Plan to support Chinese enterprises in participating in Africa’s infrastructure development through the investment-construction-operation model. The two sides will focus on strengthening cooperation on energy, transport, information, telecommunications and cross-border water resources. China and Africa will join hands to implement a number of key connectivity projects.
Unimpeded trade boosted by China-Africa BRI cooperation has enjoyed sustainable development. China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 11 consecutive years, contributing more than 20% to Africa's economic growth in many years, and is expected to maintain this position as Africa’s largest trading partner for a 12th consecutive year. In 2019, the pilot zone for China-Africa in-depth economic and trade cooperation was announced in Hunan Free Trade Zone, and the first China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo was held in Changsha, China in the same year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese and African companies encouraged the export of African specialty products to China through cross-border e-commerce platforms and online promotion activities. Ms. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa of the United Nations, joined a live streaming session with more than 10 million viewers to sell Rwandan coffee. Last year, the third China International import Expo held an online "cloud promotion conference" specifically for Africa. In January this year, the Free Trade Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius came into effect. China has also decided to provide cash assistance to the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area to support its operation.
