Gamal M. Hassan, Minister of Planning, Investment and Economic Development of the Federal Government of Somalia, delivers a speech at the High-Level Seminar on Development Trajectories in East Africa and the Belt and Road Initiative. Photo: ZJNU

---

 

Recently, the High-Level Seminar on Development Trajectories in East Africa and the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative was held in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province. Scholars and experts discussed issues related to East Africa’s position in the B&R initiative, cultural exchange and educational cooperation between China and East African countries.

Gamal M. Hassan, Minister of Planning, Investment and Economic Development of the Federal Government of Somalia, said that the B&R initiative can help African countries improve outdated infrastructure and cope with financial and technological issues. The inclusive development proposed by China is what African nations have lacked in the past, making this development mode the choice of Africa for the future.

Gert Johannes Grobler, former acting deputy director general for the Americas and Europe of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, said that the B&R has brought Africa opportunities for progress and deepened the development of the global economic and trade system.

Zheng Mengzhuang, president of Zhejiang Normal University, said that with the deepening of China-Africa relations, researchers of Africa studies should proactively respond to the B&R initiative and promote academic research, Chinese internationalization, talent cultivation, communication between Chinese and African universities, and China-Africa economic cooperation, in a bid to form an overall pattern of advancing different disciplines and fields.

Hassan said that East Africa is one of the first areas responding to the B&R initiative. In recent years, benefiting from the wide-ranging investment on infrastructure and the subsequent regional connectivity, East Africa has substantially decreased its trading costs and promoted its economic operation, which proves East Africa’s huge space for growth. This kind of inclusive development has enhanced East Africa’s long-term stability and safety.

Liu Hongwu, director of the Institute of African Studies under Zhejiang Normal University, said that as the B&R initiative has made progress in African countries, such as the successful completion of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway and Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, the East African area has become better connected. Academia should provide continuous intellectual support for African countries in advancing the B&R initiative.

Grobler added that Africa should have a deeper understanding of the B&R initiative and, by doing so, achieve sustainable development. First, African countries should enhance their capabilities for joint decision-making and consistent action. They should formulate their own sustainable development plans with the African countries in dominant positions. Second, Africa should strengthen cooperation with other nations and areas, especially with China. Third, Africa should make new efforts to cope with corruption and financial crisis.

Participants have reached the consensus that, to better advance cooperation between China and East Africa under the framework of the B&R initiative, academia should make joint efforts in terms of talent cultivation, cultural communication and exchange, and other related aspects.

 

edited by SU XUAN