Africa and China are joining forces in a big way! 🌟 On Thursday, the headquarters of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa buzzed with energy as leaders discussed the Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by China.
Mohammed Belhocine, the AU Commissioner for Education, Science, and Innovation, kicked things off by highlighting the strong bond between Africa and China. \"Our partnership is based on mutual benefit and win-win cooperation,\" he said. \"The GDI aligns perfectly with Africa's Agenda 2063 and will undoubtedly benefit future generations.\"
Zhao Fengtao, deputy head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, chimed in to emphasize how the GDI is accelerating progress towards the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. \"The initiative's eight key cooperation areas match the 17 Sustainable Development Goals,\" Zhao noted. \"More than 100 countries and over 20 international organizations are on board, building a solid consensus on international development cooperation.\"
Exciting progress has already been made since the GDI's launch in 2021! 🎉 Nearly 200 \"small and beautiful\" projects improving livelihoods have started across Africa. Over 30 African countries have joined the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative, and 14 have signed bilateral agreements with China to bring the initiative to life.
Hu Changchun, head of the Chinese Mission to the African Union, shared that the recent Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation has given a fresh boost to their collaboration for the next three years. 🚀
The event saw about 200 representatives from organizations like the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention come together with a shared vision for the future. 🌐
Reference(s):
Global Development Initiative dialogue held at AU headquarters
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