Webinar on FOCAC 2024
On Wednesday 11 September, the Centre for Africa-China Studies (CACS), in partnership with the UJ Library, hosted a webinar titled: FOCAC 2024: Whither China-Africa Relations?
About the webinar
China and Africa held the 9th edition of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing on 4-6 September 2024. The summit was held under the following theme: ‘Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future’.
Since its inception in 2000, the FOCAC has become the primary mechanism for coordinating cooperation between the two sides across a range of areas including trade, investment, security, industrialisation, social development, and people-to-people relations among others. FOCAC provides Chinese and African leaders the opportunity to reflect on the relationship and to forge a common agenda for the next three years.
This webinar discussed FOCAC 2024 outcomes and its implications on the future of China-Africa relations. It aimed to answer the following questions:
- How will the FOCAC 2024 differ from FOCAC 2021?
- What are some of the main items on the agenda of China-Africa relations outlined in FOCAC 2024 in the economic, security, development, and socio-cultural spheres?
- To what extent did the FOCAC statement reflect Africa’s priorities?
- How sound is the FOCAC structure and how can it be improved?
MODERATOR:
Dr Sizo Nkala, Senior Research Fellow, CACS
PRESENTERS:
Dr Mengshu Zhan, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, CACS
Prof Garth Shelton, Associate Professor of International Relations. Wits University
Paul Frimpong, Development Economist, Africa-China Centre for Policy & Advisory
