On Tuesday, Kenya hosted the 21st China Lecture Series, highlighting the benefits of China-Africa collaboration on sustainable development through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Erastus Mwencha, former deputy chair of the African Union Commission, emphasized that Africa could gain valuable insights from China’s path to modernization, as both regions share common development challenges and can leverage similar solutions.
Held under the theme “Chinese Modernization and China-Africa High-quality Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative,” the event was organized by the Africa Policy Institute, the China-Africa Institute, and the Chinese Embassy in Kenya. Mwencha noted that China’s BRI focus on high-quality, sustainable development aligns well with Africa’s own goals for growth. He pointed out that Chinese investments have spurred infrastructure projects across Africa, improving trade and regional integration.
The forum convened officials from China and Africa, UN representatives, diplomats, African Union members, think tanks, and scholars to explore China-Africa cooperation in a multilateral world. Somali Ambassador to Kenya, Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, spoke of the continent’s new momentum toward self-sufficiency and solidarity, as Africa advances with free trade zones and industrialization, aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Zhou Yunfan from the China-Africa Institute noted that modernization is a shared goal for China and African countries, while University of Nairobi’s Kenneth Ombongi called for a focus on skills and knowledge transfer in future collaborations. Peter Kagwanja, head of the Africa Policy Institute, highlighted the long-standing bonds between China and Africa, emphasizing the mutual support and expanding partnership in their pursuit of economic and national progress.
