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How will the Beijing Action Plan set off wave of modernisation in Africa?

by Munetsi Madakufamba From the just concluded 2024 Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, I share my insights, from a southern African perspective, on issues of possible relevance to the policymaker in preparation for the implementation of the FOCAC-Beijing Action Plan (2025-27). This is the third in a series of articles on FOCAC 2024. ———————————— The highly anticipated Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) ended with a declaration and a three-year action plan for “jointly building an all-weather community with a shared future” backed by substantial financial support, underscoring Beijing’s overarching vision for the continent.

FOCAC 2024 presents opportunities for expanding China-Africa cooperation

by Munetsi Madakufamba As Beijing prepares to host the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), I reflect on issues of possible interest to the Chinese investor with focus on Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular. I discuss how Zimbabwe and the continent of Africa can leverage on opportunities presented by the dual planks of FOCAC and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Zimbabwe is a country with enormous potential that has been suppressed by over 20 years of Western sanctions but is now rising as a strategic player in the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC). Zimbabwe has just become the chair of SADC for the next year. President E.D. Mnangagwa is on a state visit to China and will attend the FOCAC Summit in early September with other African leaders.

FOCAC 2024 more than just diplomacy: Africa’s modernisation top on the agenda

by Munetsi Madakufamba As Beijing hosts the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), I continue to share my insights, from a southern African perspective, on the great diplomacy and intellectual project of our time. In this second in a series of articles on FOCAC 2024, I look at the significance of the China Africa cooperation framework, what it has achieved, and how Africa can leverage synergies for its development agenda.

Rethinking Post Harvest Management Interventions in Southern Africa in the Era of COVID 19

Paper By Munetsi Madakufamba (Executive Director, Southern African Research and Documentation Centre [SARDC1]) and Neto Nengomasha (Senior Researcher, SARDC) Presented at the Virtual Conference hosted by Nanjing Agricultural University, 21 03 2021 Post-harvest losses among smallholder farmers in the Southern African region have been a major concern with losses as high as 40 percent of harvested crops. This has increased pressure on food security with rapidly expanding population, poor infrastructure to move crops to the market and price volatility.

Africa, China aim for deeper cooperation

The announcement that Africa and China will work together to align their development plans presents another key milestone in relations between the People’s Republic of China and the emerging continental giant, Africa.

Industrialisation to headline BRICS summit

The forthcoming 10th BRICS Summit in South Africa provides an opportunity for southern Africa and the rest of the continent to strengthen ties with some of the emerging economies of the world.

Second China – Africa Policy Paper

The second China Africa policy paper announced in 2015 builds from the first policy paper on China and Africa engagement. It focuses on key issues such China’s Relations with African Regional Organizations, enhancing people to people exchanges among others.

First China – Africa Policy Paper

This first China Africa policy paper announced in 2006 puts forward areas of cooperation between China and Africa in different sectors. It aims at promoting win win cooperation between the two sides.