African Union welcomes elevated China-Africa partnership

JOHANNESBURG -- The African Union has welcomed the elevated partnership between China and Africa, saying it stood the best chance to fight poverty and improve food security.

African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said Friday the political and economic relations with China would have an immediate impact on youth employment.

"We can overcome the biggest challenges that affect our people," the AUC official said in her opening remarks at the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) in Johannesburg.

Dlamini-Zuma said China's rapid economic growth and industrialization demonstrated African countries also stood a better chance to eradicate poverty with the right kind of support.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, co-chairing the FOCAC Summit with South African President Jacob Zuma, said an enhanced economic partnership with Africa, would re-define global politics.

The Chinese president proposed that the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership be upgraded to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Dlamini-Zuma said the first FOCAC Summit in 2000, which took place shortly after the end of the apartheid, had resulted into rapid economic development within Africa.

"We must ask ourselves about the areas which require our attention and which have the highest potential to lift our people out of poverty. China has answered this question by focusing on the youth. We must focus our attention on the youth and the youth entrepreneurship," she added.

Amongst the key projects that China is proposing to assist Africa, are the development of 200 poverty eradication projects in African villages, building an African Disease Control Centre, upgrade of local hospitals in Africa and at least five infrastructure-development universities.

The AUC official said the projects outlined by China provide a roadmap to efforts by Africa to address poverty in all its faces.

"We can overcome the biggest challenges. We can challenge the international political landscape and address the lack of political representation at the UN Security Council. It is clear from President Xi's statement that FOCAC represents a true partnership in this area," Dlamini-Zuma said.

She said the Chinese offer to increase investment in economic sectors and the political relationship between the African and Chinese leaders was a major step in addressing poverty.

Dlamini-Zuma also said the development plan outlined by the Chinese leadership has also helped to answer the question asked by the critics of the China-Africa partnership.