TheBeijingSummithasbuiltontheenormousprogresssecuredatpreviousforumsandhasradicallyraisedtheprofileoftheFOCACmechanism,especiallywiththeinfusionofthevigoroftheBeltandRoadInitiative
TheauthorisdirectoroftheCenterforChinaStudiesinAbuja,NigeriaSinceitsfoundingin2000,theForumonChina-AfricaCooperation(FOCAC)has,withoutadoubt,becomeaworld-classinternationalplatformwithatrackrecordofdeliveringsolidresults.TheChina-Africatraditionalfriendshipandcooperationalreadyhadalongtrajectorybeforetheestablishmentoftheplatform;butFOCAChasnotonlyreengineeredthesetiesinamoreresult-orientedfashion,buthasalsocreatedandsustainedthemechanismofregularcontactandconsultation,resultinginpragmaticoutcomesintherelationship.
China鈥檚ownexponentialburstofgrowthintheyearsafterFOCACwasestablishedandAfrica鈥檚breakwithWesterncentricglobalexposureduringthesameperiodprovidedasoundopportunityonwhichAfricaandChinacouldstrengthentheircooperationundertheframeworkoftheFOCACmechanism.TheusualsuspicionsofideologicalinfractionsandColdWarsabotagehadalreadypassedbythetimeofFOCAC鈥檚foundingandtherefore,thankfully,itdidnothavetodealwithideologicalcontestationsthatinfectedmanyinternationalorganizationsduringtheperiodoftheintenseColdWar.
BeltandRoadbenefits
LeadersgatheringonSeptember3-4forthe2018FOCACBeijingSummitmarkedamilestoneinthelifeoftheorganization,whichisstillaworkinprogress.
Asitspedigreespeaksfavorablytoitsfutureprospects,FOCAChasbroughtuniqueopportunitiestoitsmembers.Sincethehistoric2015FOCACJohannesburgSummit,Africahasmadesomegiantleaps,asthe10majorChina-AfricacooperationplansoutlinedatthesummitbyChinesePresidentXiJinpingwith$60billionfundingsupport,havesubstantiallymaterialized.
Thefirstnearly800-kmelectrifiedrailwayinAfrica,connectingtheemergingregionalindustrialhub,butlandlocked,Ethiopia,totheportofDjibouti,hasbecomefullyoperationalandhascuttraveltimefromdaystohours.Withathawinrelationsbetweenformeradversaries,EthiopiaandEritrea,accesstotheRedSeathroughtheAssabPortwillfurtherfuelindustrializationinEthiopia,withChinesecompaniesmakingenormouscontributions.
Theover400-kmstandardgaugerailwaylinefromKenya鈥檚portcityofMombasatoitscapitalNairobihasbeencompletedandisinoperation,triggeringincreasedeconomicactivityforKenya,whilealsohelpingreducethecostofdoingbusiness.
Meanwhile,thePortofMombasahasbeenundermassivereconstructionandwillbeavitalarteryofthe21st-CenturyMaritimeSilkRoad,theseafaringcomponentoftheChina-proposedBeltandRoadInitiativeofinclusiveandintegratedinternationalcooperation.AttheBeijingSummit,theinitiative,amassiveframeworkofoverland,maritimeanddigitalconnectivityfeaturingheavyinfrastructureconstructionacrosscountriesandwithincountries,wasprominentasapowerfulimpetusforfreshdevelopmentstridesalreadysetinmotioninAfricabytheFOCACprocess.
MadeinNigeriawithChina
AsAfrica鈥檚regionalpowerhouseanditslargestmarket,Nigeriaisalreadyatthecuspofaneweconomicdawn,duetolargeChinese-fueledinvestmentinitsstrategicinfrastructure.
Since2016,thenearly200-kmstandardgaugerailwaylinebetweenthecapitalcityAbujaandthenorthwesterncityofKadunahasbeenupandrunning.InJuly,thefirstintercityrailwayconnectingthecitycenterofAbujatotheairport,describedasthefirstofitskindinWestAfrica,waslaunchedamidmuchfanfarebyNigerianPresidentMuhammaduBuhari.
TheconstructionofamajorrailwaytoconnectthecommercialcityofLagosthroughIbadantothenortherncommercialhubofKanohasbeenlaunched.Inaddition,thecountry鈥檚economicrecoveryblueprint鈥攖heEconomicRecoveryandGrowthPlan鈥攚hichpromisesmassiveinfrastructureconstructionasthekeytounlockingsustainableandinclusivedevelopment,lookssettoleverageChina鈥檚concessionalfundinginthesector.Nigeria鈥檚notoriousepilepticpowersupplywillalsoreceiveamassiveboostwhentheChina-fundedMambillaPowerStationcomesonstream.TheExportImportBankofChinarecentlyagreedto85percentoftheconcessionalfundingforthepowerproject.
Nigeria鈥檚industriallandscapeisfastrevitalizingasChineseenterpriseshelpboostlocalcapacity,togiveconsiderablesubstancetotheconceptofMadeinNigeriawithChina.
Peacethroughdevelopment
FOCAChasaccordedAfricaapracticalandfunctionalinternationalpartnershipwithanuncommonfocusontheexistentialchallengeofthecorematerialneedsthatwouldputtheregionnotonlyonthepathofeconomicrecovery,butalsoonasteadyandinclusivedevelopmenttrajectory.China鈥檚beliefthatAfrica鈥檚securitychallengescanbeovercomeandpeaceprospectscanbesecuredthroughsustainableandinclusivedevelopmenthassignificantlychangedandshiftedtheinternationalperspective,whichpreviouslysawAfricaasaplaceofhighsecurityrisksforinvestmentandbusiness.
WhereAfrica鈥檚formercolonialmastersandtheirpartnersintheWestviewAfrica鈥檚securitychallengesasobstaclestodevelopment,China,throughthemechanismofFOCAC,seeseconomicdevelopmentasthepracticalwaytoovercomesecuritychallengesandsecurepeace,stabilityandprosperityinAfrica.ThestrategicstridesalreadyaccomplishedinAfricathroughthecooperationframeworkoftheFOCACprocessattesttothepragmaticorientationofthecontemporaryChina-Africarelationship.
WithChina鈥檚hugeaggregategrowthandincreasedstrategicroleinglobalgovernance,Africa鈥檚cooperationwithChinathroughtheframeworkofFOCACwillseeasignificantupgrade.TheBeijingSummithasbuiltontheenormousprogresssecuredatpreviousforumsandhasradicallyraisedtheprofileoftheFOCACmechanism,especiallywiththeinfusionofthevigoroftheBeltandRoadInitiative,whoseseveralinstitutionalcomplementssuchastheSilkRoadFund,theAsianInfrastructureInvestmentBankandothersarealreadyinfullthrottlemode.
Withthesuccessful19thNationalCongressoftheCommunistPartyofChina(CPC)latelastyear,thereelectionofXiasgeneralsecretaryoftheCPCCentralCommitteeandtheinnovativevitalityofXiJinpingThoughtonSocialismwithChineseCharacteristicsforaNewEra,China-AfricacooperationwillbeinjectedwithfreshdynamismthatwillhelptofirmlysecuretheroadmapforAfrica鈥檚marchtoitsownAfricanUnionAgenda2063.
ANigeriandriverintrainingismonitoredbyhisChineseinstructorinAbujaonJuly12XINHUA
NigerianPresidentMuhammaduBuhari(left)attendsthelaunchceremonyforthefirstintracityrailwayconnectingthecitycenterinthecapitalofAbujatotheairportonJuly12XINHUACopyeditedbyFranciscoLittle&RebecaToledoCommentsto