FOCAC Summit to usher in a new era for China-Africa relations

The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is set to take place in Beijing from September 4 to 6, with the theme “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future,” according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

African leaders from FOCAC member states will participate in the summit, which will also see representatives from relevant African regional and international organizations attending various events. This will be the first China-Africa summit held in Beijing since the 2018 FOCAC gathering and marks the beginning of a new phase in China-Africa relations, aiming to advance the China-Africa community with a shared future.

The summit aims to align development strategies between China and African nations and address the collective needs of over 50 African countries. Experts emphasize the forum’s role in building consensus among the Global South.

Preparations for the summit include a senior officials’ meeting and a ministerial conference on September 2 and 3. From September 4 to 6, the agenda will feature an opening ceremony, a welcome banquet, performances, high-level meetings, a China-Africa entrepreneur conference, and bilateral meetings, as detailed by Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry.

Lin highlighted that FOCAC is characterized by mutual respect, equality, and joint consultation, with both sides working closely to prepare for the summit and to advance the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation.

The summit occurs amidst intense global power competition, with Western countries, including the US, closely monitoring the event, according to Shen Shiwei, a non-resident research fellow at the Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University.

African countries are eagerly anticipating the summit, looking forward to new cooperation frameworks. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted in March that the summit would foster traditional friendship, strengthen solidarity, and open new opportunities for China-Africa development. He reaffirmed China’s support for an independent Africa.

As Africa faces increased challenges in the post-COVID era, closer cooperation with China is likely, particularly in areas such as financial support, industrialization, and infrastructure development, said Song Wei, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University’s School of International Relations and Diplomacy.

The summit is expected to address key focus areas for China-Africa cooperation amidst current global power dynamics, “deglobalization,” and trade protectionism. Investment in industries to promote modernization will be a central theme, with a focus on impactful projects in livelihoods, poverty alleviation, governance, and infrastructure development.

Experts anticipate discussions on how China and Africa can enhance their roles in international affairs, support the development agenda of African countries, and advocate for a fair global order. Additionally, with some African nations joining the BRICS mechanism, the summit will explore ways for China and Africa to uphold justice and promote a just international order.