Cooperation in digital technology would be the major focus as Chinese and African leaders meet this month for the ninth edition of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China Daily has reported.
Although a range of issues from trade and investment to security and social development will be on the agenda, cooperation in digital technology, which has emerged in the past 15 years as a driver of economic growth and development would be a key subject of lengthy discussion because of its strategic importance.
Digital cooperation has been included in the FOCAC Action Plans since 2006. It however became more prominent in the 2021 Action Plan.
Similar initiatives including the Initiative on Jointly Building a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace and the China-Africa Digital Innovation Partnership Program have been proposed to enhance cooperation in this area. This is in addition to the China-Africa Digital Cooperation Forum which facilitates discussions on digital cooperation between FOCAC summits.
Meanwhile, China has pledged to implement 10 digital assistance projects in Africa to aid the development of digital infrastructure in Africa.
China is already one of the most visible players in Africa’s digital sector, as companies from the country have been contracted to build national information and communication technology backbones in several countries across the continent including Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Cameroon and Nigeria among others.
A 2021 White Paper released by the Chinese government showed that Chinese enterprises have laid over 200,000 kilometers of optical fiber, connecting millions of people to the internet, and have partnered with 1,500 companies in Africa in their digital transformation strategies, and have worked with 29 African governments in the development of e-government services.
China is also venturing into Africa’s public cloud market with its companies having been contracted to build data centers in countries such as Senegal and South Africa.
The China Daily report also noted the FOCAC presents an opportunity for Africa and China to discuss and chart a way forward in the incorporation of technology in the critical sectors of agriculture and manufacturing.
Source: China Daily
