At a high-level conference in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, Chinese and Ethiopian officials emphasized the importance of deepening multifaceted cooperation between China and Africa under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The event, titled “Revisiting Ethiopia’s Role in the FOCAC and the Way Forward,” brought together key stakeholders to discuss the future of bilateral and multilateral collaborations.
Eshete Tilahun, head of the Office of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted FOCAC’s significant role since its inception in 2000. “FOCAC has proven to be an effective and strong platform for promoting Africa-China cooperation by supporting critical infrastructure development, enhancing connectivity, boosting trade activities, attracting foreign direct investment, and fostering entrepreneurship across Africa,” Tilahun remarked.
Tilahun emphasized that through FOCAC, China and Africa have embarked on a journey marked by dialogue and joint efforts aimed at promoting sustainable development. “It is a testament to the shared aspiration, mutual respect, and collaborative spirit between China and Africa,” he added.
Yang Yihang, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, noted that China has been Africa’s largest trade partner for 15 consecutive years, a success attributed to the strong catalyst role of the FOCAC framework. “By the end of 2023, more than 500 Chinese enterprises had invested in over 2,000 projects in Ethiopia, with a cumulative investment of about $5 billion, creating 580,000 job opportunities,” Yang stated.
Yang called on African countries to create a favorable business environment to attract more investment. “China will further encourage Chinese companies to seize investment opportunities in Ethiopia and Africa in general, and actively explore investment cooperation in infrastructure, the digital economy, renewable energy, and agriculture, among other areas,” he said.
Anteneh Getachew, director general of Asia and Pacific Affairs at the Ethiopian Institute of Foreign Affairs, expressed that the conference aims to assess Ethiopia’s commitment to promoting cooperation between Africa and China through FOCAC. “We seek to explore future areas of cooperation and enhance Ethiopia’s role in the FOCAC platform,” Getachew explained.
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Officials call for strengthening China-Africa cooperation under FOCAC
cgtn.com
