May 23, 2024
President,
I thank Secretary-General António Guterres, Commissioner Bankole Adeoye, and Chairman Sérgio França Danese for their briefings.
In two days, we will celebrate the 61st Africa Day, an important day commemorating the struggles of the African people for independence and unity. I would like to extend my holiday greetings to our African brothers and sisters.
At present, Africa is making strides on the path of development and revitalization with its international status on the rise. It has become an important force with global influence. Against this background, the discussion on strengthening the role of African states in addressing global security and development challenges is timely and of great practical significance. China commends Mozambique for its work done in this regard, and expects all parties to build on previous discussions and to continue to think deeply about how we can support the African continent in accelerating its development and revitalization, consolidating peace and security in Africa, and generating more positive energy for world peace and development. I would like to make four points.
First, we support Africa in leading its own peace and security affairs and making new contributions to world peace. Africa is Africans’ Africa. No one knows Africa better than African states. The international community must respect the leadership of African states and their peoples and insist on addressing African problems in African ways. Adhering to the old mentality from the colonial era, wantonly interfering in the internal affairs of African states, always resorting to pressure and sanctions on them, and even introducing great power competition into Africa with a Cold War mentality will only trigger new confrontations and turmoils in Africa. Africa should be a big stage for international cooperation, not an arena for great power competition.
For a long time, the African Union and sub-regional organizations in Africa have been actively engaged in their own peacekeeping operations and have made tremendous contributions to maintaining stability and silencing the guns in Africa. China supports the full implementation of Council Resolution 2719 as soon as possible in providing adequate, predictable, and sustainable funding for AU-led peace operations. The international community, especially traditional donors of the developed countries, should continue to maintain the input in African security capacity building and do more to bridge the funding gap.
Second, we support Africa’s development and revitalization in creating new sources of global growth. Africa is rich in human and natural resources. The accelerated development of the African continent and the unleashing of its market potential will benefit greatly the people of Africa, bring new opportunities to all countries of the world, and provide new impetus to global economic recovery. The international community should focus its cooperation with Africa on supporting the development of the continent, helping African states fully display their own strengths, turning their human and resource endowment into real productivity, and helping Africa achieve its independent and sustainable development.
Insufficient funding is one of the major bottlenecks constraining Africa’s prosperity and revitalization. Helping African countries balance development financing and debt growth is an important issue. The debt problems of some African countries have become prominent in recent years. As major creditors, multilateral financial institutions and commercial creditors should take more actions. China calls on all parties concerned to contribute to alleviating the debt pressure on Africa in accordance with the principle of collective action and fair burden sharing. At the same time, international financial institutions should respond positively to Africa’s demands and provide more financing support for Africa’s development.
Third, we support Africa in benefiting from the wave of technological revolution, so that economic globalization can be universal, inclusive, and beneficial to all. For a long time, a large number of developing countries, including those in Africa, have faced many unreasonable constraints in capacity building, including in acquiring technology. Coupled with the impact of colonial history and other factors, those countries have been at the low end of the global industrial, supply, and value chains. Such a situation is neither fair nor reasonable, and must be changed. The international community, especially the developed countries, has the responsibility to increase technology to and share knowledge with Africa, so as to bridge the technological divide between the North and the South, and enable Africa to better integrate itself into the international division of labor and share the fruits of economic globalization. At present, artificial intelligence is developing rapidly. It is necessary to effectively help African countries improve their AI capacity building and no one should fall behind in this new wave of technological revolution.
Africa is the continent most affected by global climate change. It is actively promoting a clean energy transition. However, it faces a huge gap in green technologies and products. Globally, the relevant gap is even bigger. Electric vehicles, solar products, and new energy batteries are rare products. The hyped-up claim of some on others’ excess green capacity is contrary to the facts and totally untenable. China is willing to share green technologies, products, and experience with Africa, make green products more accessible, and help Africa better respond to climate change and accelerate its green transformation. Developed countries should also take concrete actions to realize their commitments to climate financing and green technology transfer.
Fourth, we support Africa in correcting historical injustice and promoting the global governance system. Secretary-General Guterres once pointed out that the international system given shape after the second World War no longer reflects today’s international reality. The global governance system needs to be reformed and improved to overcome the inequality of rights, opportunities, and rules. In a multi-polar world, Africa is one pole, and it is an equal one. The spirit of Ubuntu is uniquely African. Its profound wisdom provides important inspirations for solving world problems today and offers new ideas for addressing common challenges of humankind. China welcomes the AU and African states joining the G20 and the BRICS cooperation mechanism and supports enhanced cooperation with African states through such mechanisms as BRICS+ with a view to building a new platform for Africa’s participation in global governance. China supports Africa’s enhanced representation and a stronger voice in the international financial architecture. On Security Council reform, China advocates for a special arrangement to be made to prioritize Africa’s aspirations and correct the historical injustice that Africa has long suffered.
President,
Strengthening solidarity and enhancing cooperation with African states has always been a priority for China’s diplomacy. This fall, China will host a new summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Through this summit, China would like to push China-Africa friendship and cooperation to a new level and contribute more to the realization of lasting peace and development in Africa.
Thank you, President.