China and Africa to Sign New Cooperation Agreements at 2024 FOCAC Summit

New cooperation agreements between China and several African countries under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) are expected to be signed at the upcoming 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The summit, scheduled to take place from Wednesday to Friday, will see China further deepen its collaborative efforts with Africa, according to an official from China’s top economic planning agency.

Xu Jianping, an official from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), stated during a press conference on Monday that China aims to enhance China-Africa cooperation through these new agreements. The goal is to achieve more substantial outcomes and strengthen ties under the BRI framework.

Xu emphasized that BRI cooperation between China and Africa holds tremendous potential and offers wide-ranging opportunities. China plans to work closely with African countries and the African Union to solidify the foundation of this partnership, expand areas of cooperation, and jointly advance modernization efforts across the continent. He noted the intention to achieve “new breakthroughs” in strategic alignment, connectivity, and emerging sectors, along with improved consultation and coordination.

Over the past decade, 52 African countries and the African Union Commission have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on Belt and Road Cooperation with China. This collaboration has produced significant results in various fields, including infrastructure, health, green development, the digital economy, agriculture, and talent training, according to Xu.

Tang Lixia, a professor and deputy dean of the College of International Development and Global Agriculture at China Agricultural University, highlighted the impact of these initiatives on local communities. Speaking to the Global Times, Tang noted that China’s infrastructure projects, such as building roads and railways in Africa, have improved transportation networks, facilitating the connection between the demand and supply of agricultural products. This improvement, she explained, has motivated farmers to increase food production, ultimately enhancing local livelihoods.

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