Morocco’s Head of Government, Aziz Akhanouch, representing King Mohammed VI, attended the opening session of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on Thursday.
FOCAC is a pivotal partnership between China and Africa, grounded in principles of solidarity, cooperation, and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. The triennial forum plays a crucial role in high-level political coordination, enhancing China’s position as a key partner and fostering robust dialogue and collaboration with African countries.
China’s President Xi Jinping opened the summit by committing to collaborate with Africa on implementing ten action plans over the next three years for the countries’ mutual and collective advancement toward modernization.
“One-third of the global population lives in China and Africa. There can be no global modernization without the modernization of China and Africa,” Xi stated. He urged African leaders “to elevate bilateral ties between Beijing and the continent’s countries to the level of strategic relations.”
“China-Africa relations are now at their historical best, thanks to nearly 70 years of tireless efforts from both sides,” he said.
The summit agenda includes four high-level meetings addressing state governance, industrialization, agricultural modernization, peace and security, and strategic cooperation under China’s “Belt and Road” initiative.
The forum is expected to culminate on Friday in the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Action Plan, along with a roadmap for Sino-African cooperation over the next three years.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, African heads of state, and leaders from various regional and international organizations attended the opening session of the summit today.
The 8th China-Africa Business Conference is also happening simultaneously on the sidelines of the summit.