The Ninth Meeting of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum took place on 5 and 6 November 2020. The Inclusive Society Institute’s CEO, Daryl Swanepoel, was invited to attend and speak at the event.
The opening ceremony on 5 November, moderated by Li Xinfeng, Executive President of the China-Africa Institute, had a range of high-level speakers, including Deng Li, the Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Joaquim Alberto Chissano, African Chairman of the International Advisory Committee, China-Africa Institute, and former President of Mozambique. Cai Fang, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Martin Mpana, Head of the Diplomatic Mission to China, and Cameroon’s Ambassador to China also spoke.
The opening session was followed by a plenary session called to discuss, both retro- and prospectively, the 20th anniversary of the founding of FOCAC.
Four parallel panel discussions took place on the 6th of November. Panel 1 discussed China-Africa Solidarity against the COVID-19 Pandemic and Public Health Security, panel 2 discussed the “Belt and Road” and the construction of the African continental free trade area, panel 3 discussed China-Africa Cooperation on climate change, and panel 4 cooperation on poverty reduction.
Mr Swanepoel spoke to the paper he developed on the need for greater coordination between the various geo-political and geo-economic initiative s being carried out simultaneously. He argued that the better coordination between the various initiatives and the streamlining of their programmes would enhance greater efficiency