Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
Published: September 10,2024
President Kagame met and held talks with President Xi Jinping of China to discuss ways of furthering
President Paul Kagame says African countries can benchmark from China and develop systems and values of governance and development that work for them and align with the expectations of the citizens rather than adhering to what is imposed on them by other countries.
The Head of State made the rallying call at the the2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit which concludes this Friday in Beijing, China, where African leaders and their Chinese counterparts came together to discuss ways of furthering cooperation to boost trade and development between the Asian nation and the African continent.
After attending the opening ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, hosted by President Xi Jinping and attended by African leaders and their delegations, President Kagame co-chaired a high-level session on state governance alongside Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
The session focused on how African and China can share lessons for self-reliance and independence with President Kagame highlighting that for more than seven decades, the Chinese people have worked together to transform the nation bringing it to the helm of the global economy, based on their own values and aspirations.
President Kagame speaks during a special session on governance.
Such a model can work for African countries which for long have had systems of governance imposed on them by western powers. President Kagame said the effective state governance which China was able to put in place is without doubt a central component of the achievements the country has registered over the years.
“To be effective state governance must be based on the values and expectations of citizens. It cannot be imposed from outside. The Chinese experience in poverty alleviation, development and technology adoption offers many lessons for accelerating our modernization efforts,” President Kagame said.
He hailed China’s cooperation with Africa, which he said is based on mutual respect and shared interests, as opposed to the country imposing its values on other countries, something he said sets the stage for more effective relations.
“Throughout, China has demonstrated a strong desire for shared development with other nations based on mutual respect and common interests. This Cooperative approach has allowed the relationship between Africa and China to flourish,” he said, highlighting areas of cooperation such as infrastructure development, scientific innovation and peace andsecurity on the continent as some of the areas where things have worked.
The Head of State used the opportunity to share Rwanda’s own experience over the past three decades after the genocide against the Tutsi, emphasizing that over the reconstruction and rebuilding phase, the country learned that there is no one-site-fits-all approach to governance and development that all countries can follow.
“Each Country must chart its own path that aligns with its unique context, history and aspirations. In the aftermath of the 1994 tragic history in our country, we had to rethink and reconstruct our country’s economic social and political foundations relying on Homegrown Solutions to address our challenges,”
“We have implemented policies for national unity and development, supported by robust institutions and efficient public administration. We have also focused on economic diversification, particularly on technology, tourism and manufacturing, alongside favorable investment conditions,” he said.
He pointed out that decentralizing power has empowered local government enhanced service delivery and increased citizen participation, adding that the journey of self-reliance has in fact allowed many productive partnerships to flourish between Rwanda and friendly nations, notably China, as well as many African countries.
President Kagame recognised China’s steadfast support and collaboration which he said manifests in many forms including resource sharing, market access and knowledge transfer, but with new challenges and opportunities emerging on the global front, there is much more to what the continent can do with China.
He said that since the establishment of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, significant gains in trade, industrial cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, cementing the importance of South to South
cooperation.
President Kagame said that Africa stands ready to build on the prevailing momentum, in particular through participation in the three Global Initiatives, on Development, Security, and Civilization, proposed by President Xi Jinping, reminding the continent that it must remain mindful of the importance of effective state governance, and support each other to do the right things for our people.
The Heads of State also discussed their mutual commitment to multipolar global governance, based on sovereignty, self-determination, and values.
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