FOCAC Preparation Retreat
On September 9 & 10 2021, Development Reimagined hosted the second virtual African Ambassadors in China retreat to engage and share ideas regarding the forthcoming Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting. The retreat covered three major thematic areas in China- Africa cooperation- agriculture, health and infrastructure development.
The objectives of the retreat were to:
- Provide space for African Ambassadors to discuss and develop Africa’s strategic priorities in line with AU’s continental frameworks for FOCAC 2021 before final negotiations, therefore influencing China-Africa agreements for 2022-2025.
- Support the more efficient and effective China-Africa development cooperation and 2063 Agenda goals and priorities in Africa – especially in poverty reduction and development levels going forwards.
- Articulate needs for support for the work of Ambassadors and diplomats in China, with a concrete action items to take forward.
The discussions around the thematic areas were covered through keynote addresses, as well as several breakout meetings where the participants shared their views and gave ideas that can help shape future engagements between China and African countries.
Over 25 African embassies and ambassadors attended the discussions and a number of VIP guests provided keynote speeches to stimulate dialogue. These included; Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, CEO of the African Union Agency for Development – NEPAD; Dr. John Ngeksong, Director Africa CDC; Dr. Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth at the African Development Bank; Bogolo Kenwedo, former Minister of Investment in Botswana and Senior Policy Fellow at Center for Global Development; Gyude Moore, former Minister of Public Works in Liberia and Senior Policy Fellow at Center for Global Development and Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi, Executive Vice President of the Africa Center for Economic Transformation (ACET).
Snapshot of pictures from the two day virtual meeting
The meeting was held under Chatham House rules (in which information disclosed during the meeting may be reported by those present, but the source of that information may not be explicitly or implicitly identified), to encourage frank discussion, and translation was provided from English to French.
Find out more about Development Reimagined’s support to FOCAC 2021 here
September 2021
