Africa welcomes export partnerships with China
As the 35th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly came to a close on Sunday, African leaders in attendance at the AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa welcomed China’s assistance to bolster exports.
CAPE TOWN, February 7 (ANA) – As the 35th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly came to a close on Sunday, African leaders in attendance at the AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa welcomed China’s assistance to bolster exports.
According to the AU’s official website, chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat raised issues relating to health, governance, peace and security.
Mahamat informed the assembly that the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) along with the African Medicines Agency (AMA) will lead the way in promoting Africa’s public health strategy in relation to Covid-19 and other public health issues.
In terms of trade and export, secretary-general of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Wamkele Mene said the continent welcomes investments from China as well as trade partnerships based on mutual benefits.
China Global Television Network (CGTN) reported that Mene shared his optimism about the establishment of the China-Africa industrial park that would benefit Africa’s industrialisation.
“The industrial park is to be fully considered with the support of our partners with China,” said Mene.
“We will have to look at what products, which areas and services are, including the industrial park and integrated AfCFTA market,” he said.
Mene welcomed China’s “generous offer” to boost Africa’s export capacity and highlighted that the capacity to export to China is improving day by day.
Mene also touched on China’s efforts to build a green channel for African agricultural exports that includes the expansion of zero tariffs for products imported from Africa. In doing so, the goal would be to import US$300 billion worth of products in the next three years.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher