The 14th Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was held in Beijing on December 10, 2020. The meeting deliberated China's report on the implementation of the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit. Participants had a review of China-Africa cooperation in fighting COVID-19, and a discussion of the current international situation and basic norms in international relations. They also exchanged views on the preparations for the FOCAC in 2021.
On December 10, the 14th SOM of the FOCAC is held in Beijing. (Photo by Hou Yu from China News Service)
Two presidents of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of FOCAC respectively attended the opening and closing ceremonies and delivered speeches. They were Deng Li, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Qian Keming, Vice Minister of Commerce. The meeting was co-chaired by Wu Peng, Secretary-General of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the FOCAC and Director-General of the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mamadou Ndiaye, Ambassador of Senegal (African co-chair of the Forum) to China, and Martin Mpana, Dean of African Diplomatic Corps in China and Ambassador of Cameroon to China.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Deng Li said that with the joint efforts of China and Africa, the FOCAC Beijing Summit has achieved important initial results, with frequent high-level exchanges, fruitful practical cooperation and deepening people-to-people exchanges. China and Africa worked together to effectively respond to the unexpected COVID-19 outbreak and successfully held the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19, demonstrating to the world the firm determination of China and Africa to overcome the difficulties together.
Assistant Foreign Minister Deng Li (center) shakes hands with Cameroonian Ambassador to China Martin Mpana (left) (Photo by Hou Yu from China News Service)
In his speech at the closing ceremony, Qian Keming said that China has entered a new stage of development and constructed a new development pattern, which will surely provide Africa with a broader market and development opportunities. Together with Africa, China would implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19, and further synergize China's "Two Centenary Goals" with the African Union's "Agenda 2063" and the development strategies of African countries. By deepening international cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative and actively developing growth drivers in emerging areas, China would boost Africa's independent and sustainable development, and promote the transformation and upgrading of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation to improve its quality and efficiency.
Qian Keming (left) delivers a speech at the closing ceremony. (Photo by Hou Yu from China News Service)
Mamadou Ndiaye congratulated the meeting on behalf of Senegal's President Macky Sall. He said that the FOCAC meeting scheduled to be held in Senegal next year was a new start for Africa-China cooperation in the post-pandemic era. Africa and China should continue to pursue greater complementarity among the FOCAC Beijing Action Plan (2019-2021), the AU Agenda 2063, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Belt and Road Initiative. Both parties should grasp the general direction of mutual benefit and common prosperity, and help Africa's economic and social development and transformation. This would build a model of South-South cooperation and promote the construction of a more fair and reasonable international order.
The African ambassadors in China highly appreciated China-Africa relations, the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 and the 20-year achievements of the FOCAC since its establishment. Marie Roland Alain Wong Yen Cheong, Ambassador of Mauritius to China, said that the FOCAC was a testament to the positive results of China's fight against the pandemic, and that the offline gathering once again brought all parties closer together. All parties have deepened their understanding of agricultural products and food industry, which would undoubtedly facilitate future cooperation.
On December 10, the 14th SOM of the FOCAC is held in Beijing. (Photo by Hou Yu from China News Service)
"As the fight against the pandemic continues, it is important for us to look back at what has been accomplished and to discuss together the next steps," said Isabel Domingos, Ambassador of São Tomé and Príncipe to China. She said that the outcome of the SOM would help Africa and China explore more possibilities for cooperation, "We need to work together to overcome the epidemic and recover our economy, while focusing on more international issues."
Nearly 200 people were present, including diplomatic envoys to China of 54 African members, and principals of 36 departments of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the FOCAC.
